Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday asked the Kashmiris to reject the people who had not supported a candidate of Pakistan origin in the recent London mayoral election.
The person, who had rather sought votes for anti-Pakistan candidate, had no right to solicit Kashmiris to vote for his party candidates in the ensuing elections, the minister said while addressing an Iftar dinner hosted by Chaudhry Saeed, PML-N candidate for LA-3 Mirpur.
He said Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had persuaded people to send money through ‘Hundi’. He wanted that the country should receive remittances from abroad through legal channels.
But, the overseas Pakistanis had rejected his ‘wrong advice’ by sending their money back home through banks. Moreover, due to effective policies of the PML-N government, the country’s foreign reserves had touched $23 billion mark, he added.
Pervaiz Rashid said the people of Mirpur had offered unmatched sacrifices for Pakistan and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was committed to protect their rights. The provision of basic necessities such as gas, electricity and water was part of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) manifesto and the party after being voted to power, would do away with the injustice meted with Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in the past.
He recalled that people of Mirpur had to leave their ancestral land for Mangla Dam, which was providing energy and water to the whole country. Even factories were being run due to the electricity generated from this dam, he added.
He said majority of the Mirpur residents were abroad and were sending precious foreign exchange to the country and keeping the city deprived of basic amenities was a crime. And that crime was committed by three parties namely Pakistan People’s Party, Barrister Sultan Mahmood (of PTI) and Sardar Attique of the Muslim Conference, who ruled the AJK for last many decades.
Barrister Sultan Mehmood, who frequently changes parties, remained in power, he added.
The PML-N, he reiterated, after assuming powers would undo the injustices done to the valley by the three parties. It would provide all the facilities to the Kashmiris and remove their sense of deprivation as per its manifesto. The whole Pakistan was witness to the fact that as to how Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had implemented the party’s manifesto in letter and spirit during his three year tenure, he added.
Pervaiz Rashid said strikes, unrest and lawlessness were order of the day in Karachi. The city people were made to remain confined to their homes. Though the PPP was ruling Sindh but the Prime Minister realizing his responsibility, ensured peace and tranquility in Karachi as it was the country’s financial hub. It had even be acknowledged recently by Imran Khan, he added.
He said the PTI chief had not a single achievement to his credit in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa whereas the PML-N had several achievements. Imran Khan had sold Pakistan Cricket team to Kerry Packer for the sake of money, he added.
He said July 21 election in the AJK was a referendum for both the PTI and the PML-N. The people would vote for the PML-N for the sake of their rights as Imran Khan wanted to plunder the national exchequer after attaining power, he added.
He said in London elections, at one side there was Goldsmith and on the other Pakistan origin Sadiq Khan but Imran Khan did not seek votes for the latter. How Imran could seek votes of Kashmiris as he did not support Sadiq Khan, he questioned.
He said Barrister Sultan could have won accolades by distancing from Imran on the issue but he had failed on that count and now he did not deserve Kashmiris’ votes.
Nawaz Sharif would grant right to affected people of Mangla Dam, he added.