Marriyum slams Imran’s criticism of police dept

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday said PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s criticism of police department, which had rendered remarkable sacrifices in the war against terrorism, was highly regrettable.

In a statement, the minister said that officers and Jawans had laid down their lives in that war but Imran’s condemnation of martyrs, who were yet to be buried was shameful. She said the entire nation was proud of the sacrifices of the police department, which was a target of Imran’s criticism. 

She said instead of criticism, Imran should ponder over the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s performance in implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP). The minister said due to successful strategy of the federal and provincial governments and implementation of NAP, 80 per cent reduction in terrorist incidents had been registered.

She said the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, innocent citizens and political leaders and workers had given great sacrifices in war against terrorism and martyrdom of Punjab minister Shuja Khanzada was its example. She said at this critical juncture there was need for unity, not disharmony and anarchy.

Meanwhile, Marriyum Aurangzeb Tuesday said the approval of the government-drafted access to information bill by the select committee of the Senate represented the fulfillment of yet another pledge of the prime minister and the manifesto of the PML-N.

Talking to the media after the select committee meeting the minister observed that the government parliamentary committees, lawyers and members of the civil society had made a sterling contribution in the finalisation of the draft bill which would be presented in the next session of the Parliament for formal enactment of the law. She said the law regarding access to information and democracy were inseparable as they reinforced each other.

The bill seeks to ensure transparency in all the areas of government responsibility and betterment in governance. This law is already in force in some provinces. The minister reiterated that the information commission contemplated to be set up, under the proposed law, would be an independent and autonomous body.

She, however, pointed out that the access to information bill would accord protection to the matters related to national security and interests as well as those that could affect Pakistan’s relations with other countries.