ISLAMABAD -  Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Thursday moved an application against the State Minister for Information, Marryium Aurengzeb in the local police station after some of its party lawmakers were barred to hold a press conference at the Press Information Department (PID).

Contrary to the practice, some PTI lawmakers along with the party’s office-bearers reached in front of the PID building at 3pm to hold a scheduled press conference in the presence of TV cameras as the press had already been invited for the purpose.

The lawmakers included PTI Senator Shibli Faraz and MNAs Sheryar Afridi as well as Murad Saeed besides its secretary information Naeemul Haq and party spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry. Some of the office-bearers of its media wing were also present there.

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf lawmakers alleged that they were going to hold a press conference to highlight the recent visit of Indian steel tycoon Sajjan Jindal to Pakistan and his secret meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

They said that the meeting had raised many questions at a time when a serving Indian Naval officer and RAW agent Khulbushan Jadhav had been convicted here for carrying out espionage and terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Some of the PTI leaders, including MNA Sheryar Afrid and party spokesman Fawad Chadhry, tried to create a scene when Deputy DG Press Information Department  Major (Retd) Bilal barred them from going inside the main building and the security deputed there closed the main gate.

To a query of PTI Secretary Information Naeemul Haq that an application had already been given for the approval, Bilal said that the request for holding the presser had been rejected.

PID that works under the information ministry and is headed by Press Information Officer (PIO), works for dissemination of the official news of the federal government and its ministries as well as for the promotion of government. Similarly, the government ministers and state ministers use the platform of Press Information Department  for holding official press conferences.

This is the second time that PTI attempted to hold a presser at Press Information Department. Last year, the party had got the permission to use the main conference hall of the PID.

PTI lawmakers insisted that when the government allows its MNAs, including Danyial Aziz and Talal Chaudhry, to hold press conferences against PTI, why they could not hold a news conference here being the legislators. “It is our right to hold press conference at the Press Information Department like the government ministers and its lawmakers as information ministry is being run from the tax payers’ money,” said Naeemul Haq.

He alleged that they had been denied permission on the orders of state minister for information. He said that it was unfortunate that the budget of the information ministry was being spent for the promotion of only two persons, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif.

Fawad Chaudhry, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf spokesperson, said that PTI would raise the issue of close links of Sharif family with the Indian business tycoons in the parliament. He said that PTI would also raise the issue of government’s reluctance to make public Dawn Leaks report.

He alleged that PM held a meeting with Sajjan Jindal recently and the latter conveyed a special message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his counterpart. He alleged that Prime Minister‘s decision to go to airport to welcome Sajjan Jindal spoke volumes of the priorities of the premier.

Later, Senator Shibli Faraz along with other party’s leadership visited Abpara Police Station and moved an application against the state minister for information.

The application says that the officials of  Press Information Department attacked the sitting lawmakers and obstructed their way to hold a presser on the directions of the state minister. It asked for taking an action.