Shafiq blames arrest warrant on 'settling of scores'

Former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq, whose arrest is being sought by Egyptian prosecutors in connection with a corruption case, has said that he predicted the decision to arrest him. "I wasn’t surprised. It was something expected in light of the ruling party and the unbalanced behaviour that I've been exposed to," Shafiq said late on Tuesday in a phone call to Dream TV channel. The prosecutor-general’s official spokesperson Mostafa Dowidar stated on Tuesday evening that the prosecutor-general has ordered his office to prepare a memo for Interpol, in order to arrest Shafiq, a former presidential candidate and prime minister under Hosni Mubarak. Shafiq is accused, along with his three daughters, of seizing land that belonged to fish farms and illegally allocating it to the Pilots' Association for Land Development, which he headed. The former presidential candidate confirmed that he is currently residing in Dubai, the second biggest city in the UAE, and he will return to Egypt at a suitable time. The former prime minister and his family have been staying in Dubai since June 2012, following his defeat in the presidential elections by Mohamed Morsi. The former prime minister explained that his arrest is the result of the "settling of political scores." Shafiq explained that these decisions portray "the ruling group's illiteracy and shallow thinking. He also added that he was surprised at the prosecutor-general's decision to involve his daughters in this case. Shafiq also added in a telephone conversation to Al-Youm TV that he is used to cases against him and expects that this will continue until the Muslim Brotherhood leaves Egypt. "The Brotherhood will not stay for long since they are shallow people who cannot even manage a kiosk, so how possibly they could manage a whole country?" He further said that through his former posts and long experience, he knows that the Brotherhood ruling entity will not stay for long. "They came out of prison to manage institutions and a country! What is that? It is a shame," Shafiq said. Shafiq also warned whoever is behind complaints against him to expect "harsh punishment." "I advise the complainer to go get a life; check your cases, and your problems. They have to provide bread for the people, be concerned with the public interest. Shafiq will not be touched because he has no issues," he added. Ahram