ISLAMABAD, Jan 9 (APP): Caretaker Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Tuesday said that publishing of the article in the name of former PTI chief by the popular foreign media outlet – The Economist was against the core values of journalism.
Speaking in talks shows of different private news channels, the minister said it was a “ghost column” and not a “guest column”.
There was no basis for The Economist to assert that it was a “guest article” as the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief had no such facility in the jail, he added.
“The article of the ex-chairman of PTI is as ghost as his posts on ‘X’.”
Solangi said the caretaker government had rightfully expressed its reservations as the PTI chief himself even did not own the content of the article.
“The Economist should better speak the truth to its readers,” he said while referring to the PTI’s contradictory stances of touting the article as the production of artificial intelligence and a search engine at the same time.
The minister said the people were well aware of reality of May 9 incidents, as the statements, tweets and speeches made by the PTI leaders on that day were on the record.
Investigation of the people involved in the rioting on that day was underway in accordance with law, he added.
A probe body, he said, had been formed for holistic investigation of the May 9 incidents. The committee was mandated to determine causes, responsibility, and the future course of action to prevent recurrence of such events.
The minister said it was the former PTI chairman and his associates who had got themselves ousted from the country’s politics . They had the opportunity, but they preferred to en mass resignation from the National Assembly and then dissolution of the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The PTI leadership could not blame anybody for their own follies, he added.
He said that they attacked the defence installations and tried to instigate rebellion within the state institutions.
Solangi said leaders like Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gilani should not be compared with the former PTI chief as they had never resorted to attack any state institution.
He said the sentence of ex-PTI chief was suspended in one case only, but he was still being tried in many cases such as Toshakhana, Al-Qadir Trust and others.
Murtaza Solangi said that the intra-party elections of PTI could not compared with other parties as its own leaders had challenged their credibility before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
He said the caretaker government could not give a statement in favor or against any party and if anybody had objection over the ECP, they could reach out the court for redress of their grievances.
Regretting propaganda over the delay in the general elections, he reiterated the government’s commitment for holding the polls on February 8.
The power to fix or change the date of elections solely rested with the ECP under Article 218(3) of the Constitution, he said, expressing full confidence in the Commission for holding free, fair and transparent elections.
Concerted efforts were underway to maintain law and order, he said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to provide security to leaders of all the political parties.
To another query, he said the government would extend all-out assistance to the ECP for holding the elections.
As regards the level-playing field to the political parties, the minister said nomination papers of some 80 per cent PTI candidates had been accepted.
To another query, he said the visit of Maulana Fazlur Rehman to Afghanistan was not in his personal capacity. However, the government had no objection if any political leader wanted to play its role in improving the bilateral relations of Pakistan with any country.
He clarified that the government would not negotiate with any armed group and there would be no compromise on the Constitution.
Solangi said the caretaker government was established under the Article 224 of the Constitution. The election would be held in time which would eventually lead the country towards economic and political stability, he added.
He said the caretaker government stabilized the economy with administrative measures especially against the illegal smuggling.
The minister said the caretaker government would bequeathed the country to the elected government in a better economic shape.
He said Pakistan was a democratic country and women had been enjoying all the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
To another query, he said the government was in contact with the Baloch protestors and had immediately released children and women in first round of the talks with them.
APP/nvd
