Maulana Can Stage Peaceful Protest: Mian Aslam

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Oct, 2019 ) :Punjab Information Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal said on Wednesday that Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman could stage a peaceful protest as any damage to public or private property and people's lives would not be allowed.

The government would also not permit any armed group to take over any place or speak against the state institutions, he said while talking to media men here after inaugurating the renovated canteen of Lahore Press Club (LPC).

The minister said the Maulana's politics of agitation was beyond comprehension at the time when the government was making efforts to get Pakistan out of the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) grey list, thwarting Indian moves to put it on the black list.

By staging the so-called sit-in the Maulana would only harm Pakistan's interests as it would lend credence to the Indian viewpoint, he added.

Mian Aslam said Maulana Fazl was leading that party, which had opposed the Constitution of Pakistan and its elders had expressed thanks "for not committing the sin of Pakistan's creation". That was why the Maulana had never paid homage to the Father of the Nation (Quaid-e-Azam), he added.

To a question, he said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, from the very beginning, had made it clear that it would not obstruct a peaceful protest.

However, there would be no tolerance for violence, he added.

He questioned as to which message the Maulana had wanted to convey by displaying pictures of armed groups and their training programmes on news channels. It seemed that he had some other objectives, he added.

To a question about Nawaz Sharif, he said, "We all are praying for the early recovery of former prime minister. We appeal to his party that there should be no politics on his illness." He said the medicines prescribed by his personal doctor were being given to Nawaz Sharif. He was not willing to get hopitalized to cure his platelets' deficiency and his brother (Shehbaz Sharif) was contacted for the purpose.

To another question, Mian Aslam said Nawaz Sharif could get medical treatment from any hospital of his choice in Pakistan as the PTI government would not object to it. He, however, was under the custody of National Accountability Bureau, which was an independent institution, he added.

To a query, Mian Aslam said Prime Minister Imran Khan had very effectively highlighted the grave issue of Kashmir to the world, especially at the United Nations General Assembly.

LPC President Arshad Ansari and a large number of journalists participated in the the canteen's inauguration ceremony.