Interior Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has denied granting the ‘refugee status’ to anyone so far in the prevailing circumstances of the evacuation of the foreigners and takeover of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday, he said that as per past practice related to the trade activities, many people come and return back from the Chaman border on daily basis but there was no extra burden on borders.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that in accordance with official data, so far some 1,627 people from Afghanistan had to face Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) immigration process in Pakistan at Islamabad airport besides 2,192 those who moved after clearance from FIA immigration at the Torkham border.
The Interior Minister said, “We had sacrificed more than any country of the world with loss of lives of 80,000 Pakistanis and over 100,000 those who got different disabilities but still our morals are high with having world’s most professional and sound army.”
“We expect great respect and honor from the international world on these sacrifices just for maintaining peace and stability for the entire world. We are the major contributor for maintaining peace in the region and no one can even think of bypassing us,” he maintained.
The Interior Minister said that mostly Pakistanis had been evacuated from Afghanistan while around 30 to 40 Pakistanis were still in Afghanistan and were not ready to come back due to various reasons like the presence of their family members there.
The federal minister termed Indian TV channels programs on the prevailing situation as awkward, one-sided, and foolish.
He said that Pakistan was becoming the focus of international politics while on other hand Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) leadership was busy in domestic politics.
Sheikh Rashid made it clear that there was no threat to the government as it was so strong with having the full support of its country’s people.
He said that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazalur-Rehan should play a responsible role and avoid giving baseless statements like giving Pakistan’s land to other countries. “We as a responsible country offer our support on humanitarian grounds to those leaving Afghanistan,” he added.
Sheikh Rashid said that opposition leaders had no vision to understand the prevailing changing international scenario as this region had been the focal point of international politics but Pakistan’s opposition parties had no acumen to realize this.
Responding to the PDM’s announcement of a march to Islamabad, while inviting PDM leaders including JUI-F Chief to come to Islamabad, the minister said, “They will be treated as per law and constitution, which they truly deserve. This is new Pakistan with having a lot of responsibilities in changing trends in international politics.”
The Interior Minister reminded the opposition leaders that still two years were left for the next elections and many decisions of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases were expected in these two years.
Sheikh Rashid urged the Ulema to come forward and manage minor factional issues themselves to jointly face the major challenges being faced by the country.
The Nation
