ISLAMABAD - Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed on Thursday asked the opposition parties not to become stooges of anti-state elements, who were out to defame Pakistan.

Such elements did not want Pakistan to flourish and progress under the able leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the opposition leaders were furthering their cause like puppets, he said while addressing here a press conference.

Murad Saeed alleged that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif had been meeting with anti-Pakistan lobbyists, who were working under a greater game plan of India and Israel to defame Pakistan.

Likewise, he said, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also held meetings with foreigners. He questioned the Maulana as to why he was against the merger of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. To which party Ajmal Qadri (who had visited Israel during Nawaz’s government) belonged to? 

The minister said Abdul Basit, who was Pakistan’s ambassador to India during the last PML-N government, had stated Nawaz’s sons had made him many calls for issuance of secret visa to Sajan Jindal.

Nawaz Sharif, he added, during his visit to India as prime minster did not meet the Hurriyat leaders in order to please the Indian rulers.  

Murad Saeed said a disinformation and fake propaganda campaign being carried out Indian against Pakistan had been exposed by the EU Disinfo Lab. It had fully dented the so-called pride of Indians, who were now biting dust. 

He said the EU Disinfo Lab in its report revealed that more than 750 Indian websites had been operational in 119 countries for about 15 years with the sole agenda of defaming Pakistan. It had fully exposed India’s conspiracies against Pakistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said, had also exposed the ugly face of India at international forums. He raised the voice for the people of Palestine and became an ambassador for the Kashmiris.

He said Imran Khan neither had any Iqama (residence permit) nor properties in foreign countries as he had struggled for the betterment of Pakistan and its people all throughout his life.

The minister said Pakistan had given the sacrifices of 7,000 security forces personnel and 80,000 civilians for the restoration of peace on its soil, but the opposition parties were still supporting the anti-state forces. 

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf  (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had made ‘Nazra’ (recitation of Holy Quran) compulsory in educational institutions and also started paying salaries to the Imams (prayer leaders) of various mosques.

Pakistan would move forward and progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, he added. 

Murad Saeed said the PDM leaders had started their ‘circus’ of rallies to press the government for giving them an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) for their corruption. The government would never succumb to their pressure as they had been rejected by the masses in the election, he added. Ironically, he said, the opposition parties held a protest outside the office of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) but they did not submit the details of their foreign funding. On the other hand the PTI had provided the record of 40,000 donors to the Commission, he added.