Pak interior minister Ahsan Iqbal threatens to resign

Islamabad: Pakistan interior minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday threatened to resign as he was stopped by the para-military Rangers from attending the hearing against former Premier Nawaz Sharif at an accountability court here.

Expressing resentment on Rangers deployment outside accountability court, Mr Iqbal said that he cannot become a “puppet minister” as the security forces under his command “are acting on someone else’s will.”

Speaking to reporters after being barred entry into accountability court, he said that Rangers took control of the court without any formal direction due to which he came to access the situation.

Mr Iqbal said that the Rangers refused to comply with the orders of chief commissioner. He warned that whoever was behind the deployment will face disciplinary action. He also made it evident that he will tender his resignation if the matter was not solved as two administrations cannot function in the same state. He asserted that Mr Sharif had always respected the law and presented himself before the court on every call.

Mr Iqbal criticized the court proceedings and said that it was the right of every supporter of Nawaz Sharif and media personnel to witness fair trial inside court as closed trials are carried out in dictatorship.