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LAHORE: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan in her maiden press conference on Wednesday lashed out at opposition leaders for becoming tools in the hands of ‘foreign masters’ and working to destabilise Pakistan and break its national security and defence lines.
“The government knows the facilitators of these ‘tools’ and investigating the level of `facilitation’ and finances coming to them from India and use of those funds,” Dr Awan asserted and added such elements would be dealt with an iron hand.
She said the opposition would be fully allowed to hold mass public meetings but any effort to destabilise the country and make state institutions controversial would be foiled.
Refuting the PTI government’s upcoming public meetings aimed at countering the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) narrative, the CM’s aide said the PTI’s events would focus on the welfare of the public with the launch of projects in respective tehsils and districts.
CM special assistant in her maiden presser lashes out at opposition
Dr Awan began with a conciliatory tone stating that masses were now fed up with the ongoing war of words between the government and opposition and suggested that the opposition should begin working for ‘real relief’ for the masses. However, Dr Awan immediately changed her tone telling that the Jati Umra (home of PML-N leadership) narrative was weakening Pakistan.
She said Maryam Nawaz’s ‘restlessness’ was understandable as she had enjoyed power. “Maryam Nawaz is dying for power like a fish without water,” she said and added that the government was looking to proceed for the cancellation of her bail that was granted to her to look after her ailing father in a Lahore hospital.
Answering a question with regard to her comment that the civil officers were ‘downplaying’ the government’s performance, Dr Awan said the “nurseries of bureaucrats” planted by the PML-N have now become big trees. “We are here to look at which tree is offering fruit and which became a source of mistreatment. The fruit trees in bureaucracy will be watered and others would be chopped off.”
To a question about corruption charges against her, Dr Awan said her re-appointment by the PTI government speaks volumes about the veracity of the allegations.
About the contempt notice issued to her, Dr Awan said she did not receive any notice and her review petition was admitted for hearing.
She said the PTI government would strengthen its ties with media organisations. “The Punjab government will soon announce its new advertisement policy,” she said.
Dr Awan said the Punjab government had strong empathy for the jobless media workers and would work to give them some relief.
Meanwhile, PML-N Punjab spokesperson Azma Bokhari bounced back saying that Dr Awan had been able to get a new job after a lot of effort and hoped that she would not go for taking commissions in media advertisements.