Information Minister denies rumours of any forward bloc in PML-N     

Information Minister denies rumours of any forward bloc in PML-N     

LAHORE: (APP) Federal Minister for Information Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid has said that all members National Assembly of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are united under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

Responding to the editors during the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) meeting at a local hotel here on Saturday, he said the National Assembly recently passed the budget 2016-17 which is no less than vote of confidence by the parliamentarians, adding that the passing of budget would be enough to understand PML-N is united.

About his meeting with the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Information Minister said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif's heart yearns for Pakistan, adding that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is recuperating fast and he has started regular walk as per the instructions of the doctors.

Pervaiz Rashid said the Prime Minister may return to the country during the Eid holidays if his physicians allowed him to travel after medical check-ups next week. He said Nawaz Sharif owes his health to the doctors and prayers of the nation.

Responding to a question, Senator Pervaiz Rashid said Government has always maintained that Pakistan would never allow the use of its land against any other country and neither other country should play host to any subversive activities against Pakistan. He said all countries in the region would discuss steps in this regard during the SAARC conference to be held in Pakistan this year.

He further said Prime Minister Muahhamd Nawaz Sharif has called Pakistani envoys from all major countries of the world for a meeting after the Eid ul Fitr in order to spell out country's policy to them so that they could carry the message to the countries they are posted.

About the recent law and order incidents in Karachi, Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the incidents don't mark return of old days of panic in the provincial metropolis, adding that the back-bone of terrorists has been broken by the Zarb-e-Azb and 90 percent of the anti-state elements have been annihilated while few of the remnants of terrorists cannot shake our confidence by such singular incidents.

The information Minister said our law enforcement and intelligence agencies are capable enough to grapple with the challenge and exterminate remnants of terrorist outfits.

To another query, he said it is our collective responsibility to unlearn the past lessons of extremism through our pens, lens of camera and books.

About accountability, the minister said the government has invited the opposition to formulate a committee to present its recommendations for accountability in the country, adding that such rules should be formulate in which accountability should be meant for accountability and not serve as a tool for victimization. He said it should be ensured that accountability process should be transparent, impartial and just.

About Bilawal and Imran nexus, the Minister said that the persons, who wish to stand side by side on one container, do not wait for each other on the issue of filing a writ petition and want to leave the other behind for point scoring.

Earlier, the Minister presided over a meeting of the CPNE which was attended by senior editors including Zia Shahid, Mujeeb Rehman Shami, Arif Nizami, Imtiaz Alam, Secretary Information Imran Gardezi and PIO Rao Tehsin Ali Khan.