PTI slammed for smear campaign against Sharifs

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik on Tuesday expressed serious concern over attempts by PTI to launch a smear campaign against the PMLN leadership.

Dr Musadik said a secret video, attributed to Netflix, is viral in WhatsApp groups, to smear the PML-N leadership and Pakistan. He questioned as to who was behind this video when Netflix had denied any link with it.

In response to a question about the provision of gas to consumers, Musadik Malik assured that the gas availability during this winter season would be better as compared to the previous year and added that the government was making all out efforts in this regard.

The government had arranged two additional LNG Cargoes for January and February as compared to last year, said Musadik, adding the Prime Minister had also directed to arrange more LNG cargoes to provide maximum relief to the consumers. The Minister said Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, Sui Southern Gas Company Limited, PARCO and PSO were also directed to procure LPG keeping in view of the gas situation. He said the SNGPL would sell LPG cylinders this year in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while SSGC would be purchasing an additional 20,000 tonnes of LPG.

He also urged the consumers to use efficient gas appliances to avoid the wastage of gas. He said the Prime Minister had directed to prepare a mega plan for the energy sector, which is aimed at taking the country towards self-reliance and bringing down the prices of energy.

Criticising the PTI for hiring David Fenton, founder of the anti-nuclear campaign, by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf as its lobbyist, the minister said it was beyond his understanding why PTI chairman Imran Khan hired Fenton. “How strange it is that Imran Khan, who had access to state secrets as prime minister, hired David Fenton, whose goal in life was to weaken and even end Pakistan’s nuclear programme,” he said.