ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Tuesday said that there would be no surprise in the Senate polls, and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will emerge victorious in the upcoming Upper House elections.

Addressing a press conference, he said that he wanted to tell those people who were predicting a surprise in the senate elections, “There will be no surprise in the elections of the Upper House and that the PTI will emerge victorious in the polls.”

After the senate elections, he said there would be political stability and reduction in rumour mongering in the wake of the senate polls.

The country would progress economically and financially under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said.

He said the Supreme Court’s decision would come regarding holding of the senate election through open or secret ballots.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari had “done a PhD in purchasing of votes” but that time he would face disappointment, he said.

About Nawaz Sharif’s passport, he said that former prime minister Sharif’s passport would not be renewed as his name was placed on the exit control list (ECL).

Sharif’s passport will expire tonight and under the rule, the person whose name is on the ECL neither he can be issued a new passport nor can his existing passport be renewed.

“No one is stopping Sharif from coming into the country,” he said, adding that if he wanted to return to Pakistan than Emergency Travel Document (ETD) would be issued to him within 72 hours.

He said the court had granted one-time permission to Sharif for going abroad for medical treatment.

Sharif had misused one-time permission given to him by the court, he said.

Rasheed admitted that he was among those in the cabinet who voted in favour of letting Sharif go abroad to seek medical treatment.

“I will not lie, I was among those who voted for him to be allowed to fly abroad,” he said.

He said Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz had also been placed on the ECL.

When he was asked about reports of backdoor contacts with Sharif, he replied in the “negative”.

The minister said the network of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) would be taken to every corner of the country and the NADRA offices would be set up at every tehsil headquarters level.

He said the fee of passports for 10 years had also been reduced to Rs4,500.

He asked the people to apply for 10 years passport in order to reduce the burden on the passport offices.

The minister said that 50 officers had call back from visa sections, adding that those officers who failed to relinquish charge would be terminated from service.

Rasheed said that visa would be issued within four weeks and agencies would complete verification within four weeks.

If agencies failed to complete verification of an applicant, minister of interior would issue him visa, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021

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