ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday said Sindh’s “immature politicians” should stop the killing of journalists who unveil truths instead of accusing the ruling party of subjugation of the press.
The remarks came after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari accused the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of implementing a sustained and systematic campaign to repress the press and rob media personnel of their rights.
“This immature politician should take steps with regard to the murder of journalists in Sindh,” Dr Awan said, throwing jibe at the PPP boss while addressing the media.
“Bilawal sahab, this government has no such agenda! We plan to introduce legislation for the protection of journalists against the [so-called] ‘freedoms’ you have provided them in Sindh,” she added.
“Bilawal should provide justice to the family of a journalist who was killed in Sindh [last month]. The systematic killing of journalists who speak the truth should be stopped,” the special assistant remarked.
She was referring to the murder of Aziz Memon, who had earlier accused Bhutto’s party and Naushehro Feroze police of threatening him for his unflattering reporting of Bhutto’s widely-publicised ‘train march’ in 2019.
Awan also slammed the PPP over the state of public institutions in Sindh, saying the PPP had run them into the ground and “left them in such a condition that the incumbent government cannot revive them”.
“We are regulating institutions such as [the Pakistan] Steel Mills, which were left in shambles [by the PPP],” Dr Awan said, referring to the steel and heavy metal products entity, which Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to hand over to China late last year for revival via a government-to-government deal.
“This a government that is sympathetic to the people; this prime minister is not in power to run his personal businesses,” she added.
Turning then to the previous ruling party of Pakistan, the SAPM lambasted the politics of the PML-N, saying its ideas about ‘leadership’ and conducting business were confined to handing over important positions to their leaders’ children.
