Tag: Sheikh Rasheed

  • ‘Will not allow facts to be distorted’: TLP asks Sheikh Rasheed to reveal details of negotiations

    Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has asked the Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed to reveal the negotiations [between the government and the banned organisation] saying that they will “not allow the facts to be distorted”, reports Geo News.

    The banned outfit’s spokesman Saddam Bukhari said, “One side of the picture should not be shown regarding negotiations with the government. Our only demand from day one was that the French ambassador be deported.”

    Previously, Rasheed, rejecting this demand stated, “TLP’s demand of expelling the French Embassy and ambassador has a lot of complications attached to it. We are the largest nuclear force in the Islamic world. The world is conspiring to sanction us.”

    According to Bukhari, the rest of the demands were put forward by the group due to a clash with the law enforcement agencies and claimed that the talks between the state and TLP will continue in Islamabad. Moreover, he added that their caravan is on its way to Islamabad.

    A TLP activist claimed that the protests are the beauty of democracy and that ministers should avoid bullying. According to him, they always have been peaceful but the government has always used force.

    Bukhari blamed the government for creating difficulties for the public. He also alleged that militants are those who staged a sit-in in the capital Islamabad for 126 days and attacked the Pakistan Television (PTV) and Parliament buildings.

    As per the media outlet sources, earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had said that the government “will not allow violence for political purposes.”

    During the meeting, the premier was briefed on the march then the government decided not to allow protesters to march beyond Jhelum.

    Prior to this, the interior minister said that the Rangers were being called in Punjab for 60 days to maintain law and order in the province.

  • ‘Govt can’t expel the French ambassador as demanded by TLP’: Sheikh Rasheed

    ‘Govt can’t expel the French ambassador as demanded by TLP’: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, while speaking at a press conference about the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP), said: “We cannot expel the French ambassador as demanded by the TLP.”

    “We accept all other conditions of the banned TLP. They promised us that they will open all blocked roads but we are waiting for them to open the routes,” said Rasheed, adding that the only issue between the government and TLP is the French ambassador matter. “Otherwise we don’t have any reservations with their conditions.”

    “TLP’s demand of expelling the French Ambassy and Ambassador has a lot of complications attached to it. We are the largest nuclear force in the Islamic world. The world is conspiring to sanction us,” said Rasheed.

    “Our economic conditions are in front of you. France leads Europe and all European countries are standing with France,” added the minister.

    He said the government is “waiting for them to stick to their word”.

  • ‘The emotions of Indian Muslim were with Pak team’: Twitter reacts to Sheikh Rasheed’s comments about T20 match

    ‘The emotions of Indian Muslim were with Pak team’: Twitter reacts to Sheikh Rasheed’s comments about T20 match

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed in a video message congratulated the Men in Green for winning a historic match against India in the T20 World Cup match.

    Sheikh started by congratulating the team and said, “I salute the Pakistani team for playing with such bravery and valour against the Indian team.”

    “Pakistan has proved itself in the Islamic world. The Muslims all over the world including the Indian Muslims had their emotions with the Pakistan team,” said Rasheed.

    Raseed’s video received a lot of criticism as he declared ‘the victory of the Pakistani team as a victory of Islam’. Twitter slammed Sheikh Rasheed for bringing religion into sports.

    Journalist Amber Shamsi tweeted, “By giving a religious colour in such a way, it is an insult to the minority community living in Pakistan and has put Muslim players in the Indian team in more danger, like Mohammad Shami.”

    Lawyer Reema Omer tweeted, “What a dangerous, divisive statement by the Interior Minister, esp. when the one Muslim player in the Indian team is being subjected to vicious abuse, his loyalty to India being questioned because of his religion.”

    Indian author, Rahul Easwar tweeted, “It’s unfortunate of a senior leader like you to say Non-Facts like emotions of Indian Muslims were with Pakistan. Pls understand the damage that can create to 99.99% of Indian Muslims who were cheering our motherland”

    A Twitter user wrote, “As a Pakistani citizen, I strongly condemn the statement of Home Minister @ShkhRasheed to winning the cricket match as the winner of the Islamic world and his statement is to spread religious hatred and push the country towards anarchy.”

    Another person tweeted, “Absurd statement by a person who unfortunately is holding such an important office; this wasn’t the success of Muslim Ummah, it’s only related to Pakistan. Pak has millions of non-muslims including some great sportsmen who have been part of many victories in past.”

  • PM Khan calls back Sheikh Rasheed to deal with security situation in the country

    PM Khan calls back Sheikh Rasheed to deal with security situation in the country

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed returned to Pakistan Saturday morning after he was called back by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to deal with the ongoing security situation in the country.

    The minister had gone to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to watch the Pakistan-India T20 World Cup match to be held on Sunday. Rasheed had said that PM Khan had approved his request for a two-day holiday to watch the game live in the UAE.

    However, the premier urged the interior minister to return to the country to tackle the law and order situation in Pakistan. The minister arrived in Islamabad via the Airblue flight PA-213 from Sharjah today.

  • Zahir Jaffer can’t be killed in a police encounter because of active Islamabad ladies: Sheikh Rasheed

    Zahir Jaffer can’t be killed in a police encounter because of active Islamabad ladies: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed on Monday said that they [government] cannot have the Noor Mukadam case suspect, Zahir Jaffer, killed in a police encounter. He was addressing a press conference in Islamabad.

    Rasheed sarcastically said that the “active ladies in Islamabad” and “large social media” have ruled out the possibility of an extrajudicial killing.

    The interior minister added that the investigation is complete and the forensic test has been conducted. He said that all the evidence has been provided to the court. He hoped that the court will hand down a death sentence to Zahir Jaffer.

    A local court in Islamabad on Monday sent Zahir Jaffer, the key suspect in the Noor Mukadam murder case, to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

  • Afghanistan calls back ambassador, others after abduction of ambassador’s daughter

    Afghanistan on Sunday called back its ambassador and all senior diplomats from Islamabad following the abduction of Ambassador Alikhel’s daughter.

    “Following the abduction of the Afghan Ambassador’s daughter in Pakistan, the Leadership of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan called back Afghanistan’s Ambassador and senior diplomats from Pakistan until all security threats are addressed including the arrest and trial of the perpetrators of abduction,” the statement said.

    “An Afghan delegation will visit Pakistan soon to assess and follow up on the case and all related issues; subsequent actions will follow based on the findings.”

    Pakistan’s Foreign Office reacted to Afghanistan’s decision: “The decision by the Government of Afghanistan to recall its Ambassador and senior diplomats from Pakistan is unfortunate and regrettable,” said the FO.

    “The reported abduction and assault of Afghan Ambassador’s daughter are being investigated and followed-up at the highest level on the instructions of PM,” the statement added further.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has claimed that the Afghan ambassador’s daughter was not abducted and that it is an Indian conspiracy. He was speaking on Geo News’ programme ‘Naya Pakistan’.

    Earlier on Sunday, while addressing a press conference, Sheikh Rasheed said that the case will be resolved soon adding, “Afghanistan’s ambassador’s daughter took a cab to Khadda Market for shopping.”

    “We also have footage of her getting out of a taxi at a Rawalpindi shopping mall,” he added. The interior minister further said that a first information report has been registered.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says he has scheduled a phone call with the Afghan foreign minister tomorrow and hopes the Afghan government will review its stance.

    On July 17, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan released a statement stating: “On July 16, the daughter of the Afghan Ambassador to Islamabad, Ms Silsila Alikhil, was ‘abducted’ for several hours and ‘severely tortured’ by unknown individuals on her way home.”

    Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered an inquiry into the incident.

  • 15 Chinese officials to investigate Dasu bus tragedy: Sheikh Rasheed

    15 Chinese officials to investigate Dasu bus tragedy: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said that 15 Chinese officials have been included in the ongoing investigation of the Dasu bus tragedy in which 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, were killed, reports Dawn.

    Addressing a press conference, Rasheed said, “The investigation of the event is at its final stages and the highest institutions of Pakistan are investigating it. Fifteen individuals from China have been included [in the investigation] as well.”

    “We completely reassure the Chinese government that these culprits, hidden hands and enemies of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) and China-Pakistan friendship will never be forgiven at any cost,” he added.

    Nine Chinese nationals and three Pakistanis lost their lives on Wednesday. Chinese workers and accompanying Pakistani staff were proceeding to their workplace for an ongoing project, as per a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). 

    China had announced that it was sending a team to Pakistan to deal with the aftermath of the incident. “Today China will send a cross-departmental joint working group to Pakistan to help with relevant work,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian had said at a media briefing in Beijing.

    A team comprising of 15 Chinese officials has reached Pakistan to probe into the Dasu bus tragedy.

    Chinese ambassador to Pakistan has visited the site of the shuttle bus explosion near the Dasu Hydropower plant to investigate the cause, together with the Pakistani military and a Chinese team.

  • What does PM Khan regret?

    What does PM Khan regret?

    Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed on Sunday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan regrets that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was able to escape from the grip of the law by leaving Pakistan for London.

    He said that Nawaz deceived the government and went abroad using “fake medical reports” and the prime minister has great sorrow over this.

    The government stopped Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif from going abroad and later placed his name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

    Sheikh Rasheed said a person whose name was included in the ECL could challenge the decision in 15 days but Shehbaz Sharif did not challenge the Interior Ministry’s decision.

    Rasheed went on to say that PM Imran Khan was lucky to have such an “incompetent” and “sluggish” Opposition.

    He further added that the entire Jahangir Tareen group will support the upcoming budget.

  • Timeline of major train accidents in Pakistan during PTI tenure

    Timeline of major train accidents in Pakistan during PTI tenure

    Two express trains collided in Sindh’s Ghotki today. At least 50 passengers have lost their lives, and 100 others are injured. The Millat Express derailed and the Sir Syed Express train hit it soon afterwards, railways officials confirmed, saying that the collision took place between the Raiti and Obaro railway stations. In 2019,BBC published a report stating, “historical data from Pakistan Railways shows there were 757 train accidents between 2012 and 2017. That’s an average of about 125 incidents a year.”

    Sheikh Rashid served as the Railway Minister from August 20, 2018, to December 14, 2020. A total of seven major train incidents happened during his tenure. At present, Azam Khan Swati is the Railway Minister. The present train accident in Ghotki has happened during Swati’s tenure.

     Timeline of major railways accidents during the tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI):

    June 7,2021: Ghotki

     At least 32 people were killed and 64 injured after two express trains collided in Sindh’s Ghotki.

    Feb 28, 2020: Rohri

    At least 19 people were killed when a train collided with a passenger bus near Sindh’s Rohri.

    October 31, 2019: Rahim Yar Khan

    More than 70 people died in a fiery explosion on a moving train, which officials later blamed on a short-circuit fire. The incident occurred near Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab.

    July 11, 2019: Sadiqabad

     A Quetta-bound train collided with a cargo train near Sadiqabad in Punjab, killing 24 and injuring over a 100. The accident was later found to the result of a delay in the switching of train tracks.

    June 20, 2019: Makli Shah

     Three people were killed when a passenger train collided with a stationary cargo train at Makli Shah, near Hyderabad.

    December 18, 2018: Narowal

    12 children were injured when a passenger train crashed into a school van near Narowal, Punjab. Eyewitnesses said the accident happened due to dense fog and because the gate at the crossing was left open.

    September 27, 2018: Sehwan

    A Peshawar-bound train had derailed in Sehwan, Sindh, due to which 11 bogies overturned.

    September 16, 2018: Attock

    Nine bogies of the Peshawar-bound Khushal Khan Khattak Express from Karachi derailed near Attock. 20 passengers were injured.

    June 9, 2018: Sukkur

    Twenty-three bogies of a Karachi-bound freight train derailed in Sukkur.

    People are recalling the words of Prime Minister Imran Khan when he said, “Anywhere in the world when a train accident occurs, the railway minister resigns. Until the minister doesn’t resign, the inquiry doesn’t process properly.”

    https://twitter.com/MurtazaViews/status/1401828986632740865

  • Kuwait lifts ban on visas for Pakistani citizens after a decade

    Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Sunday announced that Kuwait will resume different visas for Pakistani citizens after a 10-year pause. Sheikh Rashid met Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah during his one-day visit to Kuwait.

    Kuwaiti Interior Minister Thamer Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kuwait Syed Sajjad Haider were also present during the meeting.

    “It has been decided to immediately restore family and business visas between Pakistan and Kuwait,” wrote the interior minister in a tweet.

    He said that the restoration of work visa will create new employment opportunities for Pakistanis, and it would also boost trade between the two countries.

    Kuwait imposed a ban on the issuance of visas to Pakistani citizens in 2011.

    During the visit he also gave the Kuwaiti premier a special letter from Prime Minister Imran Khan.