LAHORE - The PPP stalwarts are coming up with different explanations of resignation by Information Minister Sherry Rehman, but they are finding a few takers given the fact that circumstances leading to her quittance are quite contrary to what they are saying. PPP MNA Fouzia Wahab on Sunday narrated her own version of the story. Talking to a news channel on Sunday, she stated that Sherry had resigned two weeks back, but no formal announcement was made at that time. In saying so, she was actually trying to convince people that Sherry's resignation had nothing to do with partial closure of a news channel and the volley of criticism she faced by some close aides of President Zardari at the Presidency on the day she decided to quit as information minister. Punjab Governor Salman Taseer in an interview to a television channel on Saturday said that issue of performance may be the reason behind her resignation. As a matter of fact, it was her soft handling of media which was made a subject of severe criticism by people like Rehman Malik and others, and which eventually led to her resignation. Salmaan Taseer, PMs'Advisor on Interior Rehman Malik, President Zardari's close aide Dr Qayyum Soomro were present in the meeting at Presidency during which Ms Rehman announced to resign in protest. Initially, no one believed that she was actually going to resign. It was only after she submitted a written resignation to Prime Minister Gilani that people came to believe the seriousness of her determination. Since PPP took power, Sherry was being constantly blamed for giving free hand to the media especially to news channels and for not applying coercive Pemra laws in letter and in spirit. She also resisted moves to bring Pemra control under the ministry of Interior as proposed by Mr Rehman Malik. Attempts were also made in the past to get rid of her, but she, somehow, survived all these onslaughts. But this was not the case now, as she herself choose to resign in protest under extraordinary circumstances. Some people in Zardari's close circles believe that PPP's image as a political party was being tarnished in the media as Ms Rehman was not turning as strict on media as she should have been to project a positive image of the both the government and the party at a time when Opposition was making fullest use of media to establish its point of view on the issue of judiciary. But responsibility could not be squarely laid on Sherry Rehman, as it is believed that she was not only person in government controlling media affairs. The de-facto control of Pemra by interior ministry is a case in point. Of late, she had also developed complaints against some individuals in other agencies trying to control media men in their own way. Currently, the information ministry is presenting the picture of a kitchen where too many cooks are all set to spoil the broth. Now, the information ministry had got a new face in the form of Qamar uz Zaman Kaira, who is known for his articulation in media circles. But still there are apprehensions that situation may not improve as desired, if 'outside intervention' in the information ministry is not stopped.