You may play, but you will not win, Saad tells PTI chief

Minister says shutting down country not possible, says talks with PTI only possible after Khan gets off the high horse

Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s plan to “shut down” the country will not be successful, adding that talks with government-PTI talks are only possible if PTI gets off the high horse.

Talking to a private television channel after PTI’s show in Islamabad, the apparently unperturbed minister said, “The government will allow PTI to pursue its plan but will not allow anyone to take the law in his hands,” adding that shutting down the country was not “child’s play”. He also ruled out a possibility of talks till the PTI chief stopped using “derogatory and undemocratic language” against judges and parliamentarians.

If Khan has evidence to support his claims of election rigging, he should produce it in court, challenged Saad, adding that PTI had earlier accepted the election results but was now raising hue and cry to create unrest in the country and “derail democracy” with the support of “foreign elements”.

“Where is the money for PTI’s gatherings coming from?” asked Saad, alleging that those people were making plans for Khan who have already “drowned former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf”.

Replying to a question he said that the government had written a letter to the judicial commission for probing electoral process and would not bow down to Khan’s attempts to pressure the government and dictate the top judiciary so that “he (Khan) can become a king”.

“We have tried many times to negotiate with PTI but they refuse to budge and maintained a haughty attitude,” said Saad, alleging that the PTI chief “only wants to become prime minister”.

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� h�p�also looking into a travel firm that facilitated the four men’s trip, agency sources said, adding that the firm – with a presence in many Indian cities — helped with visa arrangements. NIA prosecutor Geeta Godambe said the agency wanted to unearth the entire conspiracy.

In court, Majeed, dressed in a dark brown Pathan suit, was asked by the judge why he had not hired a lawyer. “I was in NIA custody and did not get the time to hire a lawyer,” he answered.

Addressing a conference of police chiefs from across the country in the Assamese capital, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh touched on the threat from IS, saying, “Some Indian youths have been attracted to IS. We cannot take it lightly.”