Daily Times

LAHORE: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday that the foreign hand was behind the recent killings in Balochistan.

Talking to reporters after attending the annual convocation of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) on Thursday, the minister blamed India for interfering in Pakistan and sabotaging efforts for successful completion of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “However, they will not succeed in their efforts,” he said.

He said that Pakistan had implemented effective policy against terrorism which had resulted in massive decrease in terrorism activities in Pakistan this year.

Iqbal said that Imran Khan had been trying to become the PM since 1997. “However, serious efforts are needed and challenges are to be met for such purpose. Even members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly are against Imran Khan. He wants early elections, but this cannot be done before the Election Commission prepares new voter lists,” he said.

He added that lists would be completed by May, 2018. “Then the caretaker setup will remain for 90 days. The trend of sit-ins was introduced by Imran and Tahirul Qadri, which is now being taken by other political and religions parties,” he said.

The minister said that Nawaz Sharif could utilize his power against the Joint Investigation Team (JIT). “However, he presented himself before respectable courts. Now, internationally courts are being criticised. The decision can be a source of shame for judiciary in the years to come. All development projects in the last 30 years bear Nawaz Sharif’s name,” he said.

Talking about Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, Ahsan Iqbal said that their businesses were not in Pakistan.

Published in Daily Times, November 17^th 2017.