No way for talks after attack on military installations: Saad Rafique

Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Sunday made it clear that there was no way possible for talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), especially after the vandalisation of military installations, Aaj News reported.

“Imran Khan has constituted a committee for talks. Who will talk to them? No one. This is no situation to hold talks,” Saad Rafique said while talking to media persons outside the Jinnah House in Lahore.

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader claimed that the former prime minister had told his team to end the talks with the government, which were held on the orders of the Supreme Court last months.

He told the reporters also to question the politicians representing the PTI in talks about the matter.

“There is an agenda for talks and there is a situation created for talks to take place,” he said. “Their team was doing a reasonable talk and matters were decided but to no avail”.

Saad Rafique termed the protests of May 9, which erupted following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan, as a disheartening event and lamented damages to valuable things “preserved” at Jinnah House, including Quaid-e-Azam’s room, his writing table, and handwritten notes.

He urged Imran and the entire PTI leadership to accept their mistake and apologise to the nation over the May 9 riots.

“They should do release a public apology,” the PML-N minister said, emphasising that what PTI did does not fall under politics.

He lambasted those involved in the vandalism of the Jinnah House in Lahore, saying the “rioters” and their approach were shameless.

He alleged that the PTI leadership and ticket holders were involved in the arson despite knowing about the sanctity of the installation. “This fire did not erupt because of petrol or matchbox, but chemicals.”

The railways minister also claimed that “Imran poisoned the minds of the youth and sowed the seeds of hatred in their minds for years.”