ISLAMABAD: Head of Awami Muslim League, Sheikh Rashid, on Tuesday criticised the PML-N-led Punjab government for promoting criminal culture in Rawalpindi and the province.

Talking to a private TV channel, he said that after PML-N came into power in the Punjab, a number of land mafia and criminal gangs had become active in the city. He said Rawalpindi used to be a peaceful city but now the situation had changed to an alarming extent.

The AML chief said that he has no enmity with anyone and it was the responsibility of the government to trace the people who had attacked him and killed his workers. He said the PML-N was scared of election due to its poor performance and the party had been trying hard to get the by-election postponed.

Point scoring be avoided in Rashid attack case: Shahbaz

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the Rawalpindi incident on Monday had grieved every Pakistani.

He said a joint investigation team comprising federal and provincial agencies including ISI, IB and CID officials had been constituted which would hold an impartial investigation and necessary measures would be taken in the light of its report.

According to a handout on Tuesday, Shahbaz immediately phoned Sheikh Rashid after the incident and inquired about his health. He said he was deeply grieved over the death of colleagues of Rashid but thanked Allah Rashid was safe. He said he had also contacted the Rawalpindi administration and issued instructions for the provision of treatment facilities to the injured.

He said every Pakistani was sad over the loss of human lives but political allegations and point scoring should be avoided. He said the PML-N believed in peace and its track record was proof of the fact. He said the PML-N has a democratic and political thinking and there was no truth in the allegations that it was afraid of its defeat in Rawalpindi.

He said the PML-N was concerned over reports of the federal government on terrorism, therefore, elections were delayed. He said as far as security arrangements for Shiekh Rashid were concerned, he was provided with security not only at his house but also at public meetings.

Senators condemn attack on Sh Rashid

Senators on Tuesday strongly condemned the murder attempt on Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members advised Sheikh Rashid to stop doing politics on bodies.

Leader of the opposition Senator Wasim Sajjad and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F condemned the attack on Sheikh Rashid in Rawalpindi which resulted in killing of his four supporters. They demanded appointment of a judge of the high court to probe the tragic incident.

Wasim Sajjad said the assault on Sheikh Rashid was an attack on the democratic process and the system which reflects intolerance in the national political culture. He regretted that the AML chief had written a letter to the provincial home secretary but he was not provided adequate security. He demanded of the Punjab government to arrange proper security for all the candidates contesting by-elections in Rawalpindi.

Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said the attack was an act of terrorism. Senator Mushahidullah Khan of the PML-N said Sheikh Rashid is hurling baseless accusations on his rivals advising the AML chief not to do politics on bodies. “I want to remind Sheikh Rashid that he was supporting the Lal Masjid operation when the affected families were lifting the bodies of their near and dear ones from the debris of the mosque,” PML-N senator said.

He said Sheikh Rashid knew who was behind the attack. The PML-N is not a militant party, he maintained. Senator Pervaiz Rashid of the PML-N contended that Sheikh Rashid was not provided proper security. “The Punjab government had written a letter to Sheikh Rashid with request to give prior information regarding his movement to authorities concerned so that he can be given security on the spot,” he said. Leader of the House Senator Nayyar Bokhari said the federal government had sought a report from the provincial government regarding the incident.

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