Ahsan Iqbal says Parliament an esteemed institution like army and judiciary

• Says Pakistan is still facing repercussions of Afghan war against the Soviets.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that the Parliament is an esteemed institution just like army and judiciary.

Addressing a press conference at Press Information Department on Tuesday, he said that people who are trying to question the credibility of Parliament are actually trying to impede Pakistan’s progress.

The interior minister said that those people who are trying to question the credibility of Parliament are trying to impede Pakistan’s progress. He further stated that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is close to completing its tenure, and assured that the next general elections will be held in the month of August next year.

Criticising Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, the minister said that if Imran had come into power in 2013, then the country’s conditions would have deteriorated.

“Imran’s speeches are not good for his health and he should refrain from them,” said Ahsan Iqbal. He added that Imran Khan is the leader of disappointed politicians who are engaged in attempts to bring down politics of others.

He also said that the finality of Prophethood clause had been restored to its original form. “This was a non-issue, I hope the religious parties realise this,” he added.

When asked that why no one has been held responsible for the change in the clause, he explained that no one committed any big crime. “The members of different parties were present when the bill was passed in the assembly,” he said and added, “For three months, no one even questioned the bill even though all the relevant documents were easily accessible.”

Ahsan Iqbal also said that protests were a democratic right but some protests were hampering peace in the country. He added that the protests lead to obstruction, the responsibility of which falls on the people that hold these irresponsible protests and not the government.

He also instructed the media organisations to be cautious while running news regarding security operations. He added that irresponsible reporting may allow terrorists to get warned about an operation against them, which could prove to be a big lapse.

He said that news on the issue of security should be covered with delicacy, and asked to get the news checked with the interior ministry before running it.

Separately, while addressing a seminar in Islamabad, Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan is still facing the repercussions of the Afghan war against the Soviets.

The interior minister said, “Osama Bin Laden was introduced by our allies at that time, whereas, the Kalashnikov culture and drugs came to us as a result of the Afghan war.”

Iqbal said that peace is rapidly establishing within Pakistan and country’s GDP growth is increasing, whereas, electricity shortage has been brought under control to a large extent, emphasising that 99 per cent of terrorist sanctuaries have been destroyed in the country.

The interior minister’s statements came on the same day as the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to Islamabad as part of his tour to South Asia and the Gulf region.

According to a statement by the US State Department on October 19, Tillerson will meet with senior Pakistani leaders to discuss matters related to the bilateral relations between the two countries.