SIALKOT: Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that government will not let any group hold people hostage and if take action against the participants of the ‘Azadi March’ if the rights to life are jeopardised.
Addressing a news conference in Sialkot on Sunday, the special assistant termed the impending march by the opposition as an effort to supplement Indian efforts to blacklist Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
She warned that the right to life supersedes the right to protest, and therefore the government will take action against the participants of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s (JUI-F) march in case their basic rights are violated.
She said that unwise political leaders are oblivious to the challenges the country is facing, and are using the same day for political objectives is an effort to undermine the struggle of Kashmiris for their right to self-determination.
Dr Awan said the country is witnessing positive changes due to the economic reforms brought by the government. She said imports have reduced significantly while exports also witnessed an upward trajectory.
She decried that certain ‘political orphans’ want to stop these positive economic indicators to sabotage the prime minister’s efforts to turnaround the economic situation. She vowed that the opposition will fail in their nefarious tactics.
“On the one hand, India is attacking our unarmed citizens at the border and exploiting Kashmiri people while holding them hostage, and on the other side our foolish political leaders are unable to realise the situation being faced by Pakistan,” she said.
She added that international financial institutions are appreciating the government’s economic policies, while the prime minister is busy creating a conducive environment for investment in Pakistan.
The government’s spokesperson said that British royal couple visited Pakistan and is projecting the real, moderate and progressive image of Pakistan before the world.
However, on the other hand, she said that a group is using the religious card create unrest and discord, and has even formed a militia which itself is a violation of Article 256 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
She added that Maulana Fazlur Rehman has planned to march on Islamabad with the help of a militia which is tantamount to challenging the writ of the state.
“The nation wants to know whose narrative this is. This is a blow to the soft image of Pakistan and is tantamount to supplement the Indian efforts to push the country into the FATF’s blacklist,” said Awan.
Regarding the ceasefire violations on the Line of Control, she said that the Indian firing is condemnable while Pakistan Army has given a befitting response to the Indian aggression.
She said Kashmiris are under curfew restrictions for more than 78 days. She said India has been trying to put Pakistan under FATF’s blacklist.
