Imran has taken another U-turn: Marriyum

Asks Bilawal to focus on problems of Sindh

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Saturday the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has taken another U-turn over his stance on the PanamaLeaks probe.

Talking to The News, she said those who have claimed to have evidences against the Sharif family came with flat faces in the Supreme Court and admitted they have nothing to produce except worthless photocopies and computer prints downloaded from websites.

"Repeated failures in the political field has frustrated Imran Khan to the extent where he sees no future that is why he is trying to sabotage the development work underway under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif," she said.

Marriyum said the PML-N led government would bring power loadshedding to an end and steer the country clear of the darkness in line with the wishes of the people who showed confidence in it in the last general elections. To a question, she said the government can have solution to the political problems but it cannot have a solution to mental frustration of those politicians who are out to derail the democratic process in the country.

She also rejected the criticism of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and said he should focus on Sindh where the PPP is in power.  She said Bilawal should avoid using 'indecent' language like Imran Khan and learn from his assassinated mother who always believed in resolving political matters through democratic ways and means.

She said the federal government is ready to hold formal talks with the PPP over the four demands made by Bilawal but no one from the other side has so far contacted them for this purpose.

"Bilawal is young and learning politics, so he should follow the true democratic norms and traditions like his mother instead of adopting the style of rejected and dejected politicians who have no future in the political field," she said.

The minister said the PPP should give an ear to voice of the people who are looking towards it for resolution of their problems in Sindh, adding, “The PPP has ruled at the federal level for five years and it has been ruling in Sindh for the last eight years but what have they done for the people who voted them to power?”

She said if the PPP is really serious in its demands, then it should approach the federal government and hold talks. Otherwise, emotional speeches by Bilawal would serve no purpose.  

APP adds: Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the second Pakistan International Mountain Film Festival in Islamabad, she said Imran Khan had been changing his statements each hour and trying to destabilise the constitutional institutions while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government was committed to strengthening them.

She said Imran had been persistently demanding the formation of a commission on the Panama Papers issue from day one but on Friday he announced to boycott the commission if formed. Marriyum said Imran Khan believed in politics of anarchy and allegations. She said the people in 2018 election would decide who was sincere with the nation.

The minister said revival of the film industry was the need of the hour and holding International Mountain Film Festival was a positive step for the purpose. She said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was taking keen interest in the revival of film industry and he would soon announce a special fund for the promotion of culture and film industry.

The Pakistani culture, she said, had great diversity and it was an amalgamation of various colours which should be presented before the world not only to project the real positive image of the country but also to apprise national and international tourists of its beauty. She said the film industry remained ignored due to the war on terror and other sensitive issues but now was the time to focus on it for providing healthy entertainment to the people and highlighting the cultural diversity, both at home and abroad. She said the two-day festival during which 28 films were scheduled to be screened should be extended for one more day and students of universities, colleges and government schools should be invited to watch the movies.

She said the prime minster had asked her to devise a policy to overcome challenges being faced by the film industry and announce incentives for producers to restart making films. The minister announced that a two-day national artists convention would be organised soon to pinpoint hurdles in their professional progress and suggest ways forward for their bright future.

A new cultural policy would also be devised in the light of recommendations of the convention, she added.

She said a national artists fund would be established soon to provide maximum opportunities to local, regional and national artists. She said national film awards would also be announced soon to boost film, cinema and production sectors of the industry. She said the government would extend full support to develop the film industry to compete at international level.

Marriyum said in the past quality films were produced on the theme of nationalism but unfortunately for the last around 25 years no remarkable work was done. For the revival of film industry, she said, youth should come forward and make films with new ideas. She said it was the collective responsibility of all to work for the promotion of country’s culture.

The minister said Pervaiz Rashid had been associated with the party since its inception and his words conveyed his struggle for democracy. She said Pervaiz Rashid was a senator and party worker.

The minister said the prime minister had always worked wholeheartedly for the country’s prosperity and the ratio of development works always remained high during his tenures. During his current tenure, she said, law and order situation had improved to a large extent in the country while reduction in loadshedding was made possible only due to his visionary policies.

Likewise, she said, connecting far flung areas of the country with the vast road network, revival of public transport system and launching of the first countrywide health programme were major contributions of the present government.

Marriyum said they were proud of being connected with the land of Himalayan mountains. She said mountain peaks played a key role in the promotion of culture, while the tourism industry was largely dependent on them.

She said almost 60 percent population of Pakistan was under 45 years of age and it was the right time to engage them in cultural activities.  The minister asked Director General of Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) Jamal Shah to sign memorandums of understanding with counterparts in other countries for promoting the country’s film industry.