Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday told Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to hold his tongue while taking about President Asif Ali Zardari, warning the chief minister that if the PPP activists decided to drag him, he would not be able escape the PPP’s wrath.
Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House where he arrived to finalise security arrangements ahead of Zardari’s address, Malik said Shahbaz should respect the president.
He said parliament elected Zardari as the president not the Punjab chief minister, adding that a man was not supposed give statements against his rival in the manner the chief minister was giving statements against the president.
The interior minister said the president’s address to the joint session of parliament was a victory of democracy and parliament. He said missing persons’ family camp set up at the parade venue was removed only for one day on the occasion of the president’s address.
Malik said CCTV cameras were installed at the Red Zone for monitoring the entire area. To a question, he said Osama bin Laden’s wife was allowed to meet her brother.
He hailed the MQM for withdrawing its decision of boycotting President Zardari’s address. “It was MQM’s statesmanlike decision which demonstrates Altaf Hussain’s political wisdom,” he said.
Malik was accompanied by MQM leader Farooq Sattar who called for government action against land mafia and extortionists in Karachi.
The interior minister said, “I will go to Karachi to address all the issues regarding law and order. I have been directed by President Zardari to do so. Action will be taken against the extortionist mafia involved in threatening traders.” He said illegal cell phones were being used in crimes, holding out assurance to Karachi’s trader community that all out action will be taken.
Malik warns Shahbaz against Zardari rebuke
