MM News

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has appreciated the nation’s collective response to the Sialkot lynching incident, saying that Pakistani society and the government’s response to the brutal killing of foreign national proves that “we are not India”.

“Our reaction shows that we are very different from India and other countries where such incidents take place on a regular basis,” said the federal minister while addressing a post-Cabinet press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Fawad pointed out that hate crime incidents of religious nature frequently take place in India against Muslims and other minorities but their government does not take any action to stop them.

The minister quoted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement that the entire country condemned the Sialkot tragedy unequivocally “like it united against Army Public School (APS) carnage”.

“The state is responsible to provide protection to every citizen belonging to minority communities and we adhere to this principle,” the information minister added.

According to Fawad Chaudhry, the prime minister and the Cabinet directed the Punjab government to start the trial of the arrested accused as soon as possible and take steps to punish them.

Last week, Sri Lankan citizen Priyantha Kumara employed as an exports manager at a factory in Sialkot was brutally lynched before being set ablaze by a mob over blasphemy allegations.

Maryam and Hamza’s singing

While responding to a question, Fawad appreciated hidden singing talent of PML-N leaders Hamza Shehbaz and Maryam Nawaz, who were seen singing during wedding celebrations of the latter’s son in videos that went viral on social media.

“It’s perfectly okay. Normal Pakistan is like this and its part of our culture to sing during private gatherings or festivities,” Fawad said while praising the opposition leaders.

“We only have political difference with PML-N and our only concern is that they should not fund weddings through our nation’s money and return the looted wealth,” he added.

EVMs and ECP

In today’s presser, the information minister said that the cabinet was briefed on electronic voting machines (EVM) and it stands very clear on the matter: the Election Commission of Pakistan should make sure it is satisfied, on the other hand, whether it is ECP or Opposition, they should first understand what this system is and why are of the view that it will smoothen the polling process.

“If you criticise and reject EVMs without understanding them, that is where the problem arises. But if you say that you need time to contemplate on it, it is fine,” he added.

The information minister told the ECP that it had laid down 27 conditions for the EVMs, so it should issue a tender in line with those recommendations. “This is not a big issue as your technical committee has already laid down its conditions and you should move forward in that direction,” Chaudhry told the ECP.

He said PTI’s sole reason behind rolling out EVMs was to conduct “free and fair” elections. On the Opposition’s criticism of grating voting rights of overseas Pakistanis, he said it was “political suicide”, as it was crucial to give them the rights.