Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said Saturday that if former minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad does not withdraw his statement calling the long march bloody, he would not be allowed to leave his house, local media reported.
"You told people that this march will be bloody. I am warning you to take your words back or I won't let you step out of your house," he said, as per a media report.
This comes ahead of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) mega rally in Islamabad when the former interim minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad claimed that the PTI's planned long march might get bloody and asked for "powerful quarters" to intervene, as per media reports.
Responding to this, Rana said that Sheikh Rashid used to claim that jail was his in-laws, but now he had approached the Islamabad High Court for pre-arrest bail. He used to misguide people and claimed that the long march would be a bloody one. If he did not withdraw his statement, he would not be allowed to leave his house, The Nation reported.
Meanwhile, responding to Rana Sanullah's warning to launch an operation against the PTI marchers, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday asked Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to go ahead with the crackdown against the PTI leadership and workers. He said the crackdown was not going to dampen the spirits of the marchers.
This comes in the wake of the Mianwali rally, where PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that the public rally of millions of nationals could not be stopped by anyone, including the 'murderer of 18 people' Rana Sanaullah or PM Shehbaz Sharif.
Rana Sanaullah had earlier warned the PTI marchers of the consequences if they did not give the government assurance that their march to Islamabad will be peaceful, political, and democratic.
The Nation reported that on Saturday, while speaking with the media after attending the hearing of a corruption case here, Rana said that there was a series of allegations against Farah Gogi, a close friend of former premier Imran Khan's wife.
He claimed that the former chief minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar was a dummy CM who was appointed to implement the orders directed by Farah Gogi.
Rana accused Farah Gogi of collecting billions of rupees through postings and transfers and said that transactions of Rs 1 billion were detected, which were sent abroad.
"Imran Khan launched an amnesty scheme to benefit Farah Gogi, and she benefited from it fully. Investigations were being conducted into allegations and cases would be registered when credible evidence would be found. If the need arises, red warrants would be issued to bring back Farah Gogi," he added.
The minister also accused Imran Khan of getting fake cases registered against the then opposition leaders for his personal benefits, The Nation reported.
"Imran Khan spent three-and-a-half years lodging fake cases and failed to carry out any public welfare works. He should feel ashamed of it. It is a gesture from us that we respect courts, whereas the shameless group is claiming that the whole cabinet is on bail."
He also accused Imran Khan of inciting his workers and fans to misbehave with political leaders. and warned that if Imran Khan did not abstain from such acts, then he would also have to face reactions.
( With inputs from ANI )
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