ISLAMABAD: Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that never a question has been raised on the leadership of Nawaz Sharif by the party.
In a media talk on Monday, the minister said the PML-N doesn’t want any confrontation with state institutions. He said those who played the game of ousting an elected prime minister should have thought about the political destabilisation beforehand.
About conspiracies by political and non-political forces wherein an elected prime minister is removed in such a controversial way, Saad said that it creates an uncertain political situation which has a negative effect on the economy. He remarked that those blinded in their quest for political victimisation are responsible for halting the country’s economic progress.
The minister also said that they should not be stopped from speaking, and remarked that when Nawaz Sharif spoke on the verdict, he was accused of attacking the courts.
Saad Rafique also said that a big chunk of railways land had been recovered and those who had occupied the Royal Palm Club were still at large.
The minister said that the work on the rehabilitation of Kohat-Rawalpindi track had been kicked off and the train service on the route would start in December, adding that some four new railway stations were being set up.
“The railways’ revenue was Rs18 billion in 2013 and during the current year it has earned Rs40 billion,” said Saad, adding that the privatisation of national institutions was not a solution and those who considered it essential should see the turnaround of the railways.
The case of business train defaulters, the minister said, was with the National Accountability Burea (NAB), which had no time to hear it. He added that the revenue generated by the Shalimar Express had surged to Rs1.82 billion from Rs60.6 million in the past as its previous agreement was not renewed.
