ISLAMABAD - Federal Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Monday said there was no monarchy in Islamabad and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was leading a democratically elected government.
Talking to media persons in the Parliament House, he said, “There is no monarchy in Islamabad. The prime minister is leading a democratic government elected by people of the country through their votes.”
The minister said PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri in the past had tried to establish monarchy by supporting false referendum.
He said the prime minister chaired a meeting of the party leadership at which the present political situation was discussed.
Pervaiz Rashid said the government had taken serious notice of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s threats in his speech and the Punjab government was seeking legal opinion from its law department in this connection and the law would definitely take its own course.
He said Tahirul Qadri was using provocative languages in his speeches and inciting people to break the law.
To a question, he said in the house of 342, 307 members were with democracy while only 35 were using the way of aggression and protest.
He remarked the people of the country were not in the mood of protest, but in the mood of picnic. He said the people wanted to live with peace and their activities during the Eid days were a proof of it.
He said the work on energy projects initiated by the government would soon produce good results. Presently, the government was giving Rs 380 billion subsidy on electricity, he claimed.
The government was generating expensive electricity, but supplying it at low rates to people, he added. He alleged the past governments had purchased faulty transformers whereas the prime minister had issued directives to purchase and import quality transformers. He asserted the government was taking practical steps to improve working of transmission lines too.
Responding to a question, he said the departments concerned were investigating the accounts of Dr Tahirul Qadri to see if the funds being collected in the name of charity were not being used for political purposes. He said the Independence Day activities would start as per schedule.
To a question, he said PML-N would not be a part of no-confidence move against the KP chief minister. He asserted the government had not yet made a final decision to grant permission for Azadi march on August 14.