LAHORE: Railways and Civil Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique says that elected assemblies come into being to take decisions for the welfare of the public and the country and not to be dissolved at the whims of any individual.

Speaking at a ceremony here on Sunday, he said dissolution of assemblies was not a child’s play. He stressed that the elected houses were meant to make decisions for the well-being of the public and the country and not to be dissolved at the whims of anyone who hated to be a part of the democratic system.

The federal minister said the culture of abusing one’s rivals had penetrated the country’s politics and those who introduced the ‘Project Imran’ knew well that he had the habit of using abusive language. He said those who thought that they would make their way through abusive language must know that they would fail to achieve their motives.

Advises Imran to return to NA to play role of opposition

In a reference to the establishment’s role in politics in the history of the country, Saad Rafique said there should be no more experiments as the country had enough of them and the people should be allowed to make decisions (on who should rule the country).

He said when Imran Khan was in power he crushed his opponents but the then opposition didn’t indulge in any conspiracy against the PTI government. He counseled Imran to be brave and stop crying day in and day out when he was out of the power corridors.

The federal minister also advised the PTI chairman to return to the National Assembly and oppose the incumbent government’s policies there. He said the issue of holding general elections would not be resolved through threats and abuses rather all parties involved would have to sit together and talk to reach an amicable solution.

He said there could be political differences but the politicians should understand their responsibility as the country had been seeing either martial law or people with a martial-law approach during its 75 years history.

Saad Rafique alleged that the country was suffering from the worst economic crisis due to Imran Khan’s government, which first struck an agreement with the International Monetary Fund and then backed out of it. He said that the PTI had its governments in four provinces in the country and it should serve the masses through these governments instead of indulging in baseless politicking.

Referring to the Wazirabad gun attack on Imran Khan, he thanked God that the attacker was caught; otherwise, the PTI would have blamed its rival parties for it.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2022