PESHAWAR: Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said, in the context of legal action against culprits involved in the Sialkot tragedy that new laws should be constituted so that judiciary issue verdicts in such cases as soon as possible.
“It was a shocking incident. I’ve assured the Sri Lankan High Commissioner that strict action will be taken against the culprits,” Ahmed said while addressing a new conference in Islamabad on Tuesday. Responding to a question, the minister said that the Sialkot tragedy and the law and order situation were discussed at a meeting of the military and civilian leadership. He informed that it was decided to strictly implement the laws to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice.
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On the call for a ‘long march’ by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), he said that Pakistan is the only country where the opposition has called for a long march four months ago and on Pakistan Day. He said that March 23 is the national Day of Pakistan’s Armed Forces therefore; there should be no protest marches. He said that all the supplies for the Pakistan Day Parade reach Islamabad via GT Road and most of the corps headquarters are also situated along the this important road. The minister said that the opposition should know that it is a ‘national issue’.
The interior Minister further said that the opposition has given four months time during which local body elections will be held in Punjab so they should reconsider their decision. He appealed to the media institutions to play their role in curbing extremism and not to give coverage to those who are involved in terrorism or extremism.
Ahmed further said that the one-year performance of the Interior Ministry will be presented on December 14. He said on the directive of the Prime Minister, online visas were issued which has eliminated corruption and no visa application is pending today. The Home Minister said that 182,000 people from Afghanistan has entered Pakistan on visas out of which 66,000 have returned, 12,000 have gone abroad and 40,000-50,000 have applied to the UNHCR for support in Pakistan.
In response to another question, he dismissed the rumors of the caretaker government and said that Imran Khan will complete five years and the ‘democratic process’ in Pakistan will move forward. Regarding the PDM’s protest march, he said that the date has been given 4 months earlier, the government will talk to them after 3 months. He said that if the process was in accordance with the law then it is their right to hold rallies.