ISLAMABAD - The Senate might have closed its doors to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry for his outburst against the opposition but he still stands his ground. The bravado made him a target of the opposition’s ire but at the same time it brought Chaudhry closer to the country’s chief executive.

Chaudhry is one among the top leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf to whom Prime Minister Imran Khan lends an ear. And this is all which matters the most. Since the day he took oath of his office, Chaudhry is seen a flag-bearer of PTI’s agenda for change and a frontline solider in its crusade against the corruption. Chaudhry rose to prominence within the PTI in no time and soon he was a nightmare for the opponents.

He is member of an influential family from the district of Jhelum. His uncle Chaudhry Altaf Hussain served as governor of Punjab whereas Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain was a minister in PML-Q government.

He started his career as lawyer and became spokesperson of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf after completion of his presidency’s tenure.

Later, he joined the Pakistan People’s Party in 2012 and appointed as Special Assistant to Prime Minister but it did not give ticket to Fawad in general elections 2013. He contested the election on PML-Q ticket and secured more than 40,000 votes.

During the 2018 elections, Chaudhry led the PTI and helped the party clean sweep the district. Pakistan Muslim League performed in upper Punjab well and secured good seats of National Assembly as well as Punjab but it failed to win a single seat of NA in Jhelum.

He contested for National Assembly and provincial assembly seats and won both seats. Later on, he vacated the provincial assembly seat.

Chaudhry is now considered among those PTI leaders who are promoting and defending Imran Khan’s agenda whether it is in the parliament or at public rally or a prime time TV show.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is appreciative of Chaudhry’s performance and has clapped for him in the party meetings as well as in the parliament.

Chairman Senate imposed ban on the entry of Chaudhry in Senate until he tenders an apology over his remarks against PML-N Senator Mushahidullah Khan. But the federal cabinet put its weight behind Information Minister and even PM Imran Khan telephoned Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani on this issue. Chauhdry had said that he would not apologise.

Before that, Chaudhry was found present in almost all hearings of Panamagate in Supreme Court and highlighted the main points of hearing on media daily basis and he was only PTI leader who knocked out several cabinet members of PML-N’s government at different platforms.

He was the PTI’s leader who took initiative and translated the JIT report and later Supreme Court’s decision in Panama case in Urdu for understanding of common people. Chaudhry helped Imran Khan for spreading his party narrative against corruption and he defended the Party’s policy on several fronts at time.

The performance of Chaudhry while the party was in opposition made his way to federal cabinet and it was understood that he will be the best choice for the portfolio of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

According to a close aide of Fawad, Khan liked his bold style of politics and wished Fawad join his party instead of PPP in 2012. Khan also conveyed this to him as well. Finally, Chaudhry met Khan at his Bani Gala residence in 2014 and joined the party, he added.

After joining, Cahudhry was assigned to handle the media and promote the party stance against corruption and also highlight the weak areas of governance of previous government. He took the responsibility as a challenge and promoted the party’s narrative on electronic, print and social media. At the same time, he informed the masses about the performance of PTI’s led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

After resuming the charge of Information Minister, Chaudhry said that PTI believes in merit and it will independent the editorial policy of state-run media organisations PTV, PBC and APP.

The PTI government has decided to shrink the budget for government’s promotion and advertisements in this regard unlike the previous governments. The government advertisements consider as backbone of media industry of Pakistan and without support of the government it is difficult to survive.

Two weeks ago, information minister said in a video message that PM Imran Kahn chaired a meeting on media affairs and ordered to release outstanding dues of media immediately. He said the previous government used advertisements as a political tool but the present government had no such intention. He said a merit-based policy was being formulated to end the government’s control over release of official advertisement.