LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid claims that Shahbaz Sharif and his niece (Maryam) don’t see eye to eye on the issue of leading the party. He further says that Mr Sharif is in great trouble allegedly due to the cases, which are of serious nature, pending against him.

“The plan or thought Shahbaz had in mind while returning to Pakistan from London has been politically buried. He is not even comfortable with his niece. They have now become enemies of each other,” Sheikh Rashid said while responding to media queries at a press conference here at the Pakistan Railways’ headquarters on Saturday. “His niece is advocating appointing Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as president of the PML-N. There are differences between them,” he added.

On the other hand, the PML-N central leader Rana Sanaullah termed Sheikh Rashid’s press conference a malignant act (Shaitani Harkat). “He (Rashid) has not even given thought to the sacred month of Ramazan while doing his malignant act,” he deplored.

The railways minister also claimed that according to his Moakals, Shahbaz cannot save himself, except the way he used to adopt to get rid of such problems in the past. “So he will have to take that way as he used to do so in the past, failing which he will have face the music (Warna Ji ka Jana Thehr Gaya),” he said.

Says 40pc issues of Zardari have been ‘settled’

Talking about Asif Ali Zardari, he called him a wise man who knows that the ongoing months are not better for politics.

“Asif Zardari is the 6th Behri Bera (naval warship). They (Zardari and others) have now gone to their nests since they know that these months are not of politics,” the minister said, claiming that 40 per cent matters of Zardari have been ‘settled’.

Talking about other issues, Sheikh Rashid said that the decision on the NAB ordinance would come on April 27. In this regard some ministers are in contact with the opposition since it wants some amendments in the ordinance. He said he had already revealed that the sugar commission report may delay for some time. However, in the meanwhile, the report on independent power producers (IPPs) was made public, revealing alleged corruption of Rs6 trillion. “Yes, three ministers, including Khusro Bakhtiar, Nadeem Babar and Abdul Razaq Dawood, had left a meeting on such issues recently. But we should at least appreciate Imran Khan for doing so,” “I think whosoever (ministers, peers, faqirs etc) if found involved, they will be taken to task,”

Earlier talking about his department briefly, the minister said the Railways has installed 50 thermal gates, which can identify a Covid-19 patient from a distance of 50 feet, has been installed at all major railway stations. “China gave us these gates. Besides this we are also manufacturing the disinfectant tunnels at our factories,” he said, adding that the Railways was ready to resume its operations at any time once the government allows it to do so after ending of the lockdown.

Meanwhile, Rana Sanaullah while reacting over Sheikh Rashid’s Saturday press conference said Shahbaz Sharif is a nominated president of the PML-N and the place where the man of Pindi (Sheikh Rashid) exists at present is due to Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.

He called Mr Rashid a conductor of the government of incompetent and incapable people.

“He (Rashid) is like a blind man having no judgment of colours (Andha Kiya Janay Basant ki Bahar). So it is better for him to focus on his job rather than looking to others,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2020