LAHORE - Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday made it clear that if Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) led opposition parties’ so-called ‘Azadi March’ and the resulting sit-in turned violent, the government would fulfill its responsibility of protecting the life and property of the people.

Addressing a news conference here at the state guest house, she said that though opposition had the right to protest, but in a peaceful manner. She warned that any violence would not be tolerated.

To a question, Dr Firdous said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman remained the chairman of Kashmir committee for 10 years and utilised all its resources. “But he did nothing for the Kashmir cause,” she said, and added, “Even today, when the entire Pakistani nation is expressing solidarity with their brethren in occupied Kashmir facing tyranny and aggression at the hands of India for the last two months, the Maulana is going in the opposite direction.”

SAPM said he was, once again, pursuing his personal interests and going to stage a sit-in on Oct 27, the day when Pakistani nation would be standing with the people of Indian held Kashmir.

SAPM says surprised JUI-F heading for march when Kashmir is burning

“The government will not obstruct any peaceful protest by the opposition,” Firdous clarified, but at the same time added, “However, it is more important to assess Maulana’s underlying motives. The government has very effectively fought the Kashmir cause all over the world and the UN resolution on Kashmir took 50 years to reach the UN General Assembly, and now, you have to decide whether you need unity or chaos in the country.”

She asked whether it was time to support the innocent Kashmiris or making attempts to oust the government in complete disregard for the mandate given to it by the people only because Maulana did not want it to continue.

She warned that the government would not let the Maulana and the parties rejected by the people in election, to overrun its mandate.

To another question, she said that Maulana had been alleging rigging in the 2018 elections for the last one year. “But instead of approaching the appropriate forums i.e. the Election Commission of Pakistan, election tribunals or the courts, he wasted his time by becoming a tool in the hands of opposition parties just for political gains,” she regretted.

“Contrary to this, the PTI had decided to march to Islamabad and stage a sit-in there after the party’s concerns over reopening of election results in four constituencies were not addressed by all relevant forums for one year,” she reminded, and argued that the PTI had staged the sit-in for supremacy of the parliament, rule of law and against the menace of corruption, which was obviously for the betterment of the common man.

“But, today the JUI-F-led opposition parties are planning a sit-in just to protect their corrupt system of governance that had been in vogue during their 30-year rule,” she added.

About the cabinet reshuffle at federal and Punjab levels, she said that it was a constitutional prerogative of the prime minister and the chief minister to make changes in their respective cabinets, assuring that there would be no unconstitutional move in this regard.

Dr Firdous said that if Prime Minister Imran wished to make any change in his cabinet, it was not with the view to accommodate his kin or a blue-eyed boy in it, but to bring forth the individuals who could deliver well for the public.

Responding to a query, she said that the termination of services of journalists by the media houses without any reason was negation of their basic rights. She, however, assured the journalists that the government would stand by them and make every effort to protect their rights.

She disclosed that a mechanism was being evolved under which advertisements’ cheques would be issued to the media house owners after they submitted an affidavit that they had cleared salaries of all their employees.

She also pledged that the government would help ensure implementation of the recommendations to be presented by the committee, comprising leading journalists.

Later, the PM’s Special Assistant, along with journalists, also cut the birthday cake of Prime Minister Imran Khan.