ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has expressed fear that some ‘elements’ may be attempting to undo the democratic set-up of the country ahead of the Senate elections scheduled to be held in March. Ahsan Iqbal, while requesting to Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri and Pir Hameeduddin Sialvi, said: “This is not time of sit-ins… we should stage sit-ins for unity of the country.” Voicing his concerns during an interview with a private TV channel on Sunday, the interior minister, without naming any institution, held “certain forces” responsible for the prevailing “uncertainty” and political crises in the country. “There are some vibes that some forces are trying to wrap up the democratic set-up in the country before the Senate elections,” he said. He said that the country is facing threats now more than ever in its history. “Unfortunately at a time when Pakistan is facing immense threats on the external front, the country’s political dynamics are showing negative signs,” he added. “We are trying to make the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and other political parties realise that we need unity against external threats,” the minister said. The minister warned that the politics of agitation and sit-ins would strengthen the agenda of US President Donald Trump against Pakistan. Talking about the looming political crises in Balochistan where some lawmakers have launched a no-confidence drive against the provincial chief minister, Iqbal claimed the resignations from Balochistan were rendered under duress. Referring to his recent visit to the province, he claimed that lawmakers in Balochistan had informed him that they were being “pressurised”. “Whoever is doing this is not serving the country. It will weaken the country and strengthen US President Donald Trump’s agenda,” he remarked. He vowed that the ruling PML-N would play its due role against any attempt to undermine the democratic and constitutional set-up. “There is a consensus in parliament that the political system should continue,” he said, warning that a “third force” might take advantage of the prevailing uncertainty in the political arena. “Political powers should not be pushed against the wall,” he said, when asked about former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s threat that he would lift the curtain on “what has been happening in Islamabad for the past four years”. “We are trying our best to maintain harmony in the face of external threats.” He said that US President Trump’s tweet, in which he accused Pakistan of giving Washington “nothing but lies and deceit”, was linked with the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif. “He [Nawaz Sharif] was punished for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and turning Pakistan around from a crisis-like situation,” he said. Turning his guns on Imran Khan, Ahsan Iqbal said the PTI chief would be remembered as a “pawn in the hands of those wanted to destabilise the country”. Published in Daily Times, January 8th 2018.