Planners to disqualify Nawaz Sharif, stage ‘sit-in’ are same: Talal

ISLAMABAD (APP): Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has said that an officer in uniform should not have become party to a political agreement among the government and Tahreek Labaik Ya Rasoolullah as such move harm impartiality of the institutions and could make them controversial.

Replying to a question about the signature of the ISI official Major General Faiz Hameed on the agreement that ends the three-week sit-in, the PML leader said that such a role to end the sit-in is ok but it would have long-term negative repercussions for the institutions.

“You will have to compromise in such political affairs. Involvement of people in uniform could pave the way for debate about the impartiality of the institutions and it could create impression of their controversial role,” the BBC quoted the state minister as saying.

He said all the agencies especially those which wear uniforms, whatever the colour might have been, should remain neutral and keep themselves away from conflicts.

“These agencies should act according to law in political affairs or when there is possibility of controversies. There would be concerns if they play role in violation of the law,” Talal further said.

When asked about the objectives of movement of Tehreek e Labaik, the Minister of State for Interior said that the objective was the same that of the campaign to disqualify former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“The target was to affect the vote of PML-N in the upcoming elections. Earlier Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for this purpose. The planers thought that the disqualification and the sit-in will reduce the popularity of PML-N. The next plan to create suspicions among the Barelvi school of thought in the coming elections also failed,” he said.