Lauding Indian foreign policy regrettable: Sindh minister

Shaikh says NA speaker, who is supposed to be protector of constitution, is busy flouting it

Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, while addressing a press conference in the committee room of Sindh Assembly on Monday, said that criticising the military establishment on social media and appreciating the Indian foreign policy during the presence of OIC foreign ministers in the country was highly regrettable.

“The way they are trying to escape the no-confidence motion is a sign of defeat. The speaker of the National Assembly is the protector of the constitution, but he is busy flouting the constitution, while the interior minister of the country is issuing threats,” he added.

Regarding governor rule in Sindh, Imtiaz said, “I challenge you to impose governor rule if you can. Sindh is not someone’s father’s estate or booty.”

He further said that it was unfortunate that Sindh House was attacked by what he called PTI’s “tiger terrorists”, adding that this attack was an attack on the integrity of Sindh.

Imtiaz further said that he did not want to talk in the same manner as federal ministers but “if we are being forced by Sheikh Rashid, we will respond in a befitting manner”.

He said that the manner in which the interior minister had spoken against the PPP chairman was extremely shameful.

Imtiaz added that PTI had still not answered regarding the foreign funding case even after seven years.

He said that Islamabad Police did not provide security to Sindh House, but it was the Sindh Police personnel who provided security.

The minister said that the news of the petrol reserves crisis was also proof of the incompetence of the federal government.

He said that it was futile to expect any legal action from those who violated the constitution themselves. “If they had any evidence of false and misleading allegations, they would show it, and the esteemed judiciary should take notice of the deviation from the Constitution,” he said.

Parliament is supreme and the interpretation of the constitution is the job of the esteemed judiciary,” he added.

Imtiaz said that MQM and PPP were natural allies, and with this alliance, the province and country would develop. There was no room for further increase in the prices of petroleum products, he stressed.

The minister said that vile attempts were being made to discredit the political leadership of the country by making false allegations.

He added that issuing notice to their own MNAs was evidence that PTI had lost its majority.
“The prime minister was trying to use the religion card after a series of failures. The PPP, on the other hand, has always followed the democratic and constitutional process and has struggled against all sorts of misfortunes,” he asserted.

Hanif Samoon is a senior journalist based at Thar/Badin and contributes reports from different districts of Sindh to Minute Mirror. He has won a number of awards, including the Agahi Award twice for his stories on health and child rights. He tweets @HanifSamoon1 and can be reached through email at [email protected]