'NA speaker did wrong by issuing Shehbaz's production order'

RAWALPINDI: Severely criticizing National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser for issuing production order of Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, Railways Minister Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad said, “Speaker sahab! you did wrong.”

Addressing workers of Pakistan Railways at Carriage Factory in Rawalpindi on Friday, the federal minister contended that the speaker does not have the authority to issue production order of Shehbaz Sharif.

He continued ironically, “What kind of procedure is it wherein a detained person can come out despite being under the physical remand.”

The minister reiterated that Shehbaz Sharif was not acceptable as the head of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). “I have informed Prime Minister Imran Khan that Shehbaz Sharif is not acceptable to me as Public Accounts Committee chairman.”

“I am in coalition with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI); I am only quite because of Imran Khan,” he said.

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Further taking an aim at the NA speaker, Rasheed referred to the appointment of Shehbaz as PAC chairman and said. ‘Speaker sahab you have done the wrong thing.”

“The Speaker has no right to bar me from becoming a member of the PAC,” when PM Imran Khan has already shown willingness over my membership, then “I wonder what is the issue with the speaker? Perhaps, he can tell this better,” the railway minister sharply remarked.

Pakistan to manufacture coaches next year

During the same event, the minister for Railways announced that domestic manufacturing of passenger coaches will be started next year.

“Local production of locomotives will also be started in the next phase,” he added.

The minister said we have plied twenty new passenger and two freight trains.

Moreover, Shaikh Rasheed shared that a summary has been sent to Prime Minister Imran Khan to bring the salaries of railways police at par with the Punjab police and up-gradation of scales of the employees of Pakistan Railways.

On the occasion, Rasheed also announced three thousand rupees each for the staff of Carriage Factory.