KARACHI: The federal government formally gave the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) a nod to arrest former finance minister Shaukat Tarin of the PTI for allegedly sabotaging negotiations between Pakistan and the IMF, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Sunday.

The confirmation of the expected move from the government came days after it picked up two senior members of the previous government and close aides to PTI Chairman Imran Khan — Fawad Chaudhry and Sheikh Rashid. Despite criticism from certain political quarters and civil society, the PDM government stood firm to go ahead with its plan and make more arrests citing “legal reasons” and “rule of law” as logic behind its move.

“A request was received from FIA seeking permission for his [Shaukat Tarin] arrest, which has been granted,” Rana Sanaullah said while talking to reporters at Sindh chief secretary’s office where he chaired a meeting on law and order with officials of police and Rangers.

Only on Saturday, the FIA sought the interior ministry’s approval to begin legal proceedings and eventually arrest Mr Tarin for “conspiring against the country’s economy”. He came under the investigation agency’s radar after his telephonic conversations with finance ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were leaked in which he was “considering options and tactics to derail the deal with the international donor agency amid serious financial crisis and looming threat of default”.

After the confirmation of approval for his arrest, an FIA inquiry initiated last year now seems to be moving to a logical end. Mr Sanaullah went a step forward, hinting at more such moves in the days to come “in line with the defined rules”.

“As far as [PTI chairman] Imran Khan’s arrest is concerned, things are moving fast towards this action,” he replied to a question. “He sold out Toshakhana. His wife sold out every single jewellery of that. Farah Gogi [close friend of Imran Khan’s wife] sold out entire Punjab with record corruption. So, it’s not just one but a number of cases which are moving fast. And I am sure that he [Imran Khan] wouldn’t only get arrested but disqualified as well.”

The minister claimed that the PTI chairman’s recent moves are in fact attempts to derail the legal process which is moving towards its logical end that would lead to his arrest. “So, it’s very clear why is he calling for Islamabad march and then sit-ins,” he said. “When he failed to get public support and failed to stage any impressive show, he dissolved the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. But these tactics won’t last long.”

Punjab, KP elections

In reply to a question about the prospects for by-elections in Punjab and KP, the minister wasn’t sure about their possibility but quite confident to say that the current economic and security situation of the country doesn’t allow such huge exercise in the two provinces.

“The Election Commission of Pakistan is responsible for all such electoral process and we as a political worker are ready for elections whenever they are held,” said the minister. “But we should also realise that the country’s current economic condition and also the security situation aren’t that ideal which allow such elections. The institutions like Election Commission and Supreme Court should also think about this. The national interest cannot be compromised over an individual’s stubbornness and ego.”

The minister also ruled out any option of talks with militants amid recent surge in terrorism and growing terrorist attacks on security officials in both southern and northern regions of the country, citing past experience which never proved fruitful. “Unfortunately, in the past, the experiment of [holding] talks with the militants always failed miserably,” he said when asked about the strategy to combat the resurgence of terrorism.

“The negotiations [with militants] never succeeded and we all know that. So now there’s no option of talks and it’s unanimously decided in the recent meeting of Apex Committee. The security agencies and the government realise the level of threat and challenges. We all are on high alert. That’s the reason that I am here and holding meeting on law and order.”

Security plan

Presiding over a high-level meeting during his visit to Gwadar, Interior Minister Sanaullah directed law enforcement agencies to take all possible steps for ensuring foolproof security of local and foreign nationals and said there should be no negligence in implementing the security plan.

The meeting reviewed security arrangements for protection of people, especially the Chinese working on various development projects under CPEC, including Gwadar Port.

“Foolproof security should be provided to the Chinese nationals working on CPEC,” the interior minister said, adding that vacancies in security institutions should be filled on a priority basis and local people should be given priority in the recruitment.

Earlier, the interior minister was given a detailed briefing on the security arrangements in the port city.

Federal Interior Secretary Yusuf Naseem Khokhar, Balochistan Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili, IGP Abdul Khaliq Sheikh and other senior officials of law enforcement agencies attended the meeting.

Behram Baloch in Gwadar also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023