Tag: Sheikh Rashid

  • Murree: PM Khan says extreme snowfall, people not checking weather left administration unprepared

    Murree: PM Khan says extreme snowfall, people not checking weather left administration unprepared

    After several hours to the tragic deaths in Murree, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan took to Twitter to express his thoughts.

    “Shocked and upset at tragic deaths of tourists on road to Murree. Unprecedented snowfall and rush of people proceeding without checking weather conditions caught district admin unprepared. Have ordered an inquiry and putting in place strong regulations to ensure the prevention of such tragedies,” he tweeted.

    His statement came after Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid blamed people for coming to Murree.

    “Nothing went wrong. People came in large numbers. We need to construct two or three Murree’s, three or four Nathia Gali’s. We need to understand that Murree alone cannot bear the weight of tourism,” said Rashid.

    Currently, an emergency has been declared in Murree by Punjab Government and 21 deaths have been reported so far.

    Twitter is disappointed with PM Khan’s statement with many saying that the PM is blaming the victims.

    https://twitter.com/qaisarwali/status/1479763592488513538?s=20

  • Interior Minister blames tourists, says nothing would have happened if help arrived earlier, busy taking selfies

    Interior Minister blames tourists, says nothing would have happened if help arrived earlier, busy taking selfies

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid while speaking with Geo News said that people still want to go to Murree but we will not let them.

    “Nothing went wrong. People came in large numbers. We need to construct two or three Murree’s, three or four Nathia Gali’s. We need to understand that Murree alone cannot bear the weight of tourism,” said Rashid.

    “Murree is not under me, it comes under Punjab, yet I sealed it yesterday around 5pm,” said the minister.

    Sheikh Rashid, when asked if the government had taken necessary precautions and cautioned citizens would the situation have been better, responded negatively and said, “Nothing would have happened if they [government] were there.”

    “People want to sleep in their cars. They are fighting with us right now, [to be removed]. We took them out with such difficulty. They should see the conditions, and yet they have taken small children with them,” said Rashid, adding, ” they are busy taking selfies.”

  • ‘All overseas Pakistanis votes shall go to PTI’: Sheikh Rasheed

    ‘All overseas Pakistanis votes shall go to PTI’: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed on Wednesday, while talking to the media, said that all overseas Pakistanis shall be voting for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and as a result, the Opposition will have a problem with this.

    “40 of Punjab’s and 80 constituencies of the country will be decided by overseas voters,” said Rasheed.

    “Go to court or do whatever you want, the law has been made and elections will be conducted through the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM),” said the minister.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb commenting on EVMs said, “Elections shall not happen through EVM. Elections and electoral reforms can not be carried out in an undemocratic and authoritarian manner.”

    “They [government] could not get biometrics done for the Corona Fund, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and Health Card, now they are talking about elections on EVM?” added Aurangzeb.

    Aurangzeb further criticising the government said, “Parliament gives funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Funds for national resources and institutions are not Imran Khan’s personal estate.”

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Sheikh Rasheed lied, let the entire nation see the malicious intent of the govt’: TLP leadership
    
			
    Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) leader Syed Sarwar Shah Saifi on Wednesday said, “Sheikh Rasheed lied yesterday that matters have been resolved. He also lied about contact [with us] at 8 pm — from them till now no government official, including Sheikh, has contacted [us],” reports Dawn.
    

    In a statement issued by the group’s central committee, TLP said, “Let the entire nation see the malicious intent of the government.”
    

    TLP said its activists would now march onto Islamabad because their demands have not been met by the government.
    

    Saifi said, “Are these claimants of the state of Madina unable to respond to France? Have they become so enslaved to the Jews and the Christians?”
    

    “Don’t lie to the nation. No negotiations are being done with us. The government is not sincere in negotiations but if more blood is shed now, revenge will be taken,” the statement said.
    

    Saifi said the demands would increase if more blood was spilt and the nation would be “rid of this dishonest, lying and hypocritical government”. He said it would be better if the agreement was abided by and TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi was released so the group could go back.
    

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, while speaking at a press conference on Tuesday 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.
    

    Earlier on Tuesday night, the district administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad had blocked the Faizabad intersection to prevent the TLP protesters from entering the federal capital territory.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Conspiracy behind NZ tour cancellation, says Sheikh Rasheed
    
			
    Conspiracy behind NZ tour cancellation, says Sheikh Rasheed
    
			
    Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed in a press conference said, “The New Zealand (NZ)authorities do not have substantive proof of threat in Pakistan.”
    

    “New Zealand took a unilateral decision to cancel the Pakistan tour despite the country’s tight security arrangements for the team,” said Rasheed.
    

    The interior minister said NZ team’s security in-charge spoke to government officials in the morning and informed them of a threat. When the officials asked for further details, the NZ security in-charge “did not have any”, he added.
    

    Pakistan had deployed commandos from Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group (SSG), soldiers, and 4,000 policemen for the matches in Rawalpindi, Sheikh Rasheed said.
    

    “We also tried to convince them to play the match without spectators. But they did not agree to it,” he disclosed.
    

    “None of our intelligence agencies, which are among the best in the world, have any information about a threat. Pakistan is playing a major role in the region and they do not want us to prosper.”
    

    Indian media was “defaming Pakistan”, said the interior minister, adding that its designs would be foiled.
    

    “We have sacrificed before and peace will prevail here at all costs,” he stressed.
    

    Following this, the Pakistani officials spoke to Prime Minister Imran Khan — who is currently in Tajikistan.
    

    “The prime minister was briefed on the matter. He then called New Zealand Prime Minister [Jacinda Ardern] and assured her that there was no security threat,” the interior minister said.
    

    However, Ardern said the NZ government had “received intelligence that the team could be attacked when it steps out to go to the stadium”, Sheikh Rasheed added.
    

    “It is their decision. We had deployed heavy security for the team. Pakistan is a peace promoter in the world. And this tour was cancelled through a conspiracy. It is their (NZ’s) problem and what they decide.”
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Thinking of retiring from politics if no one bothers me: Sheikh Rasheed
    
			
    Thinking of retiring from politics if no one bothers me: Sheikh Rasheed
    
			
    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has said that he is thinking of retiring from politics.
    

    While speaking to journalist Waseem Abbasi, Sheikh Rasheed said Interior Ministry is a challenging ministry and mentally he is thinking of retiring now.
    

    “Every day there is an incident in this ministry. It is a sensitive ministry. Security is involved. The Railways Ministry was a normal ministry. But here the work pressure extends to 18 hours a day,” said Sheikh.
    

    When asked will he be contesting in the next general elections, Sheikh Rasheed responded, “If no one bothers me, I will not be contesting in the next general elections. Two years are left [for the elections] to happen, so I am of the view that I should retire.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    According to Rasheed, he was not going to contest the 2018 elections, but when Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif said that “I (Sheikh Rasheed) will not be in the next assembly, I just had to contest.”
    

    

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Taliban reassure that TTP will not be given permission to operate in Afghanistan against Pakistan: Rashid
    
			
    Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said on Monday that the Afghan Taliban had reassured the government that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) would not be given permission to operate in Afghanistan against Pakistan.
    

    While addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Rashid said that some of the TTP members such as Maulvi Faqir Mohammad had been released by the Taliban after their takeover of Kabul on August 15, further adding that the government was in complete contact with the Taliban on the matter. 
    

    “The Afghan Taliban have reassured [us] that Afghanistan’s land will not be allowed to be used in any case by the TTP,” said Rashid.
    

    He said Pakistan desired peace in Afghanistan since peace in one country was related to peace in the other.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    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.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    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.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Shehbaz files contempt petition in LHC against FIA officials
    
			
    Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif submitted a contempt petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday, against six officials who allegedly barred him from flying abroad despite the court’s order granting him permission.
    

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif’s name has been added to the Exit Control List (ECL).
    

     Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry, in a tweet said that with the approval of the cabinet and completion of all legal formalities, Shehbaz’s name was added to the no-fly list.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Interior Minister  Sheikh Rashid said that Shehbaz had not submitted any medical documents for travelling abroad or specify the treatment for his illness.
    

    “This is the first time that a verdict was given the same day a petition was filed. Shehbaz was trying to flee the country,” he remarked. 
    

    Sheikh further added we want fair treatment for all prisoners and this is not fair. “What are the chances that Shehbaz Sharif will return when his brother Nawaz Sharif has yet to come back?” said Sheikh.
    

    He added that the PML-N leader may influence the approvers.
    

    Rasheed said Shehbaz can file an appeal against the decision in the Interior Ministry within 15 days.
    

    Earlier this month, the Lahore High Court granted Shehbaz permission to travel abroad once for medical treatment.
    

    After obtaining bail, Shehbaz was about to fly to London when an FIA team at the airport stopped him from travelling on the grounds that his name had been on the list of persons barred from leaving the country.