ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, who was recently de-notified as special assistant to prime minister on information and broadcasting, has said that Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Azam Khan has no right to seek resignation from any politician and this right rests only with the prime minister.
Speaking in a programme of a private news channel, Firdous Ashiq Awan said that she was hopeful that the premier’s new teamwill live up to his expectations. Dr Firdous said the prime minister is well within his rights to choose the cabinet he wants, the Ministry of Information is a pivotal office and she wish Shibli Faraz the best.
Dr Firdous said that during her tenure there were multiple pseudo-information ministers and were doing her job for her and may have hindered her progress at a few instances or confused the narrative she wanted to present as a government representative. She also said that the premier to her knowledge would also not like bureaucracy and politicians trading blows or leveraging blames. She said that leakage of stories had also become a point of concern during her tenure when news made its way into the media through various channels rather than the official, designated channel of the government spokesperson.
Firdous Ashiq Awan also said that there were many in the party who supported her and her efforts, whereas some also wanted and expected more from her. She said that she gave the office her best, “there was infighting in the Ministry of Information for the past three months, some people appointed to the office were not required, Prime Minister Imran Khan took a decision on Fawad Chaudhry after eight months and I too was sidelined after a year.”
Dr Firdous said several unauthorised people were in the Information Ministry without any notification and she was asked they will work under her. When inquired if Firdous Ashiq Awan was insinuating towards Shahbaz Gill, she replied that the wise can understand who she is pointing towards. She also said that whatever has been told to the prime minister regarding her, be it personal or professional, is grave distortion of facts. She was so much was told to the PM against her that anyone else in his place would have expelled her long ago.
“I was told by the prime minister to continue my duties as a party worker and elected member and he would call upon me when needed,” said Dr Firdous.
Talking about allegations hurled against her of probable misuse of powers and fraudulent practices, Dr Firdous said that how can she take 10 percent commission from the advertisement quota budgets when no such advertisements were handed out to the media or any entity for the duration of her tenure.
“The files related to my ministry were never shown to me, the secretary took them directly to the prime minister, this practice continued for six months,” claimed Firdous Ashiq Awan. “A case pertaining to an advertisement company who I supposedly gave money to, they got through to me after six months of trying even then they remain unpaid,” she said.
Dr Firdous said that to her knowledge, Prime Minister Imran Khan was satisfied with her performance but wanted someone else to take charge. She praised Shibli Faraz and his struggle for PTI, being alongside and an integral part to the party for the past 22 years.
She said Shibli Faraz is the face of the PTI and she is also trying to do so, but she is facing difficulties. She said the prime minister is her leader and he knows the procedure of her removal was not appropriate.