Lahore (December 29,2017): Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Khursheed Shah said on Friday that he did not find anything objectionable in the recent statement of Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, which was criticised by the army spokesperson Yesterday.
Addressing the media in Lahore, the senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader said he has examined Rafique’s remarks, delivered on December 24, and did not find anything controversial in them.
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“There was nothing in Rafique’s statement to warrant an immediate and such a big reaction from ISPR.
This shouldn’t have been done. The institution’s each and every word is important,” Shah said.
In a press conference on Thursday, Maj Gen Ghafoor had said “Rafique’s statement is very irresponsible and unwarranted as you are targeting the chain of command and the subordination system of Pakistan Army”.
On December 24, Rafique had praised the army chief’s “confidence boosting move” of briefing the Senate.
However, the minister had said ‘others’ should also support the army chief’s stance on whom “his command is applied to”.
“They should also follow that order,” said Rafique and added that those who do mischiefs should also support the army chief.
Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique has already left for Saudi Arabia along with his family in the wee hours of Friday.
The federal minister for railways took the Pakistan International Airlines’ flight, PK-759, for Jeddah from Allama Iqbal International Airport (Lahore). Meanwhile, the PML-N party leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is also expected to reach Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Lately, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor in a press briefing said that a recent statement by Rafique “doesn’t appear to be unintended”.
“The statement is very irresponsible and unwarranted as you are targeting the chain of command and the subordination system of Pakistan Army,” said the military spokesperson.
Rafique, while addressing a ceremony marking his father’s anniversary earlier, had praised the army chief for briefing the Senate and had said it was a confidence-boosting move for everyone. The minister had said that there was no difference in the narrative and added that the army chief had talked in favour of democratic norms and continuity.
However, the minister had said others should also support the army chief’s stance on whom “his command is applied to”.
“They should also follow that order,” said Rafique and added that those who do mischief should also support the army chief.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is already in Saudi Arabia right now. On Thursday, he met briefly with Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim during his ongoing visit.
Shahbaz Sharif is expected to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, among other senior Saudi officials, during his visit to the Kingdom.
Shehbaz had arrived in Medina after leaving Pakistan on Wednesday in a special plane sent by Riyadh. However, according to prime minister’s adviser Mussadiq Malik, Shahbaz is on a personal visit to the Kingdom and will also perform Umrah.
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