ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan yesterday ruled out possibility of any 'in-house change' at a time when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is facing opposition parties' protest movement over the Panama Leaks.

The senior government minister also dispelled the impression that Maryam Nawaz, daughter of PM Nawaz Sharif was working, as defacto PM in the absence of her father and went on to say that this is out of question, as 'she has not even entered into politics till now'. "The talks in this regard are non-serious and childish," he said.

In his informal interaction with a select group of journalists at an Iftar dinner hosted by him, the interior minister not only ruled out the possibility of any ‘in-house change’ but also said that the rumours of PM's resignation were wrong. He called some political analysis wrong that Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and he wanted an extension in the service of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif while PML-N government did not want. "All these are hypothesis. Some baseless rumours are being spread about," he said when was asked whether in-house change would be out of the Sharif family. "Why the Prime Minister would resign when the mode of the investigations over Panama Papers has still to be decided," he said.

He also ruled out the formation of a forward bloc of PML-N dissidents during the budget session. Some MNAs belonging to the ruling party might have some reservations over the release of development funds but there was no chance of a forward bloc, he said.

Nisar showed his displeasure over a question whether Maryam Nawaz was acting as deputy Prime Minister when the premier is abroad for treatment. He said that neither she had chaired any meeting of ministers nor ever summoned any minister. "Give me a reference of any such meeting, he said adding that she only had been meeting ambassadors who had called on her as family friend to inquire after the Prime Minister. "Even there is no provision of deputy prime minister in the constitution," he added.

Lashing out at the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) for its anti-corruption campaign over Panama Papers, he said former president Asif Ali Zaradri and his family had properties of worth billions in Dubai and abroad.

"Bilawal should be questioned whether the offshore properties of his father, mother and other family members had any accounting in Pakistan," he said and gave reference of Surrey Palace, an offshore property of Zaradri family. He also referred to release of 60 million dollars in assets belonging to Asif Ali Zardari released by Swiss banks in 2008.

He however surprised many by saying that the government cannot do anything about this corruption. He said democratic countries of the world have anti-corruption institutions and pointed out that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was a constitutional institution mandated with this task.

Responding a host of questions of the journalists, the minister said that the government had decided to make a national policy on the issue of Afghan refugees and an important meeting was being called after Eidul Fitr soon after the return of PM. All chief ministers are being invited for this meeting. He said that though the government had extended stay of Afghan refugees in the country for another six months but their fate would be decided in the light of this national policy. "We will decide whether Afghan refugees would be allowed to stay in Pakistan or not and if yes then for how long and under what rules of the game," he said

He avoided to comment on a statement given by chief of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party to Afghan media but added that the issue of Afghan refugees was serious in nature. These refugees misused the hospitality of Pakistan and caused increase in crime and terrorism.

About the Karachi situation, the minister said that no person except Chief Minister Sindh could head the Ranger-led Karachi operation. He said that street crime in Karachi had increased during last one and half years but there was drastic decrease in four areas including terrorism, extortion, target killing and kidnapping for ransom in the city. He urged the need for capacity building of Sindh police to replace it with Rangers.

Re-announcing the earlier decision of the civil and military leadership to curb terrorism incidents in the country, he said that the government had formed an initial sketch of the National Vehicles registration Authority that would be shared with the provinces after Eid. "It would cost the government Rs450 million to make the software of the authority for the registration of vehicles under one platform throughout the country.

He said that results of Islamabad Safe City Projects were encouraging as in some cases, culprits had been identified and arrested with the cameras installed throughout the capital.

About the reforms of madaras, he said the government and religious scholars had mutually agreed on the registration form but some issues on the their cubiculum needed to be addressed.

He said those persons who were found out to be foreigners during the re-verification drive of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) would be deported.

Replying to a question about the recent statement of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there were different power centres in Pakistan, he said that every statement of Modi should not be taken serious, as he wanted to see division in Pakistan.

He also said that Iran had provided background information to Pakistan about Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav and his companions' entry into Pakistan.