Era of dynastic slavery over, says Firdous

LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal on Thursday said the opposition badly failed in gathering people for a protest and the so-called leaders were left with no option but to level false allegations before the media.

Flanked by Dr Shahbaz Gill, the spokesman for Punjab chief minister, the minister was addressing a press conference here at the DGPR building. He said those giving calls for observing a black day could not tell people that they wanted to stage protests and demonstrations as Prime Minister Imran Khan had undertaken a successful US visit, and the narrative of Pakistan had been acknowledged at international level. He said that all attempts of the opposition leaders to protect their looted money and conceal their corruption by provoking the trader community to hold protest demonstrations had failed. The public of Lahore badly rejected the corrupt elements and declared their so-called black day as the Youm-e-Pannah, added the minister.

He said the opposition might oppose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at their free will, but if they are found opposing the country, they would be given a befitting reply. In all the cities of Punjab, especially in Lahore, the business life and traffic remained normal, Mian Aslam Iqbal said adding the people of Pakistan have given a clear message to the opposition that they wanted to run business and their loyalties are with Prime Minister Imran Khan and with the government in every respect.

Iqbal said people have reposed their complete trust in Prime Minister Imran Khan everywhere. Nawaz Sharif and company have been tainted with corruption stigma in the past and even the courts of law had stamped it now. He wondered as to how Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the arch rival parties, are praising each other these days. Only one year ago, the speeches made during the general election campaigns are part of the record, which are an embarrassment for both of them now. Both the parties tried to prove each other the most corrupt and also taunted each other over disqualification. Mian Aslam said that it was unanimity among the discarded and blotted opposition leaders, which would never succeed. The minister said people are standing with Imran Khan with a sense of pride and the narrative of Pakistan of discarding aid has also been widely acknowledged in the US. He said it was a great success and achievement of Prime Minister Imran Khan to carry forward relations with the USA on equality basis. He said the opposition is using negative tactics, but Pakistan has changed and now corruption would not be concealed. Prime Minister Imran Khan had given such awareness to the people of Pakistan that now they would never support such negative elements.

The provincial information minister said the opposition might raise hue and cry of any intensity, but accountability would be done indiscriminately. “We are heading towards the destination of making not two rather one Pakistan and will soon accomplish our aim,” he added. In reply to a question, Mian Aslam said the people of Pakistan had bulldozed the opposition narrative, which would prove to be a last nail in their coffin. The minister said the administration offered the opposition an alternative place, Nasser Bagh, to stage a protest, but they showed stubbornness and insisted on staging demonstration on The Mall as they knew they would not be able to bring people on the roads. The minister said that if the opposition would have staged protest against corruption, then we would have provided them with logistic support. But, unfortunately the opposition parties have no agenda but to save the corrupt elements, along with their corruption. He said the opposition had been buried under its corruption files. Mian Aslam said no one was above the law and all those in jails would be treated under the jail manual. He said action would be taken against those who breached the constitution.

The spokesman for Chief Minister Dr Shahbaz Gill, while criticising the opposition, said they should not give the PTI lectures on democracy. The Punjab government did not grant permission for holding a rally on The Mall road in the light of the Lahore High Court judgment. They only bluff and general public is not willing to consider their narrative or any other viewpoint seriously.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said July 25, 2018 marked the end of era of dynastic slavery and the looters of the national wealth were being made an example for others.

Dr Awan, in a series of tweets, noted that on this very day last year, those occupying the corridors of power from generation to generation were thrown out from the system. “They exploited the corridors of power for their earnings and two families played the game of rule turn-by-turn and subjected the masses to the worst kind of exploitation,” she noted. She contended that July 25 was the day of demonstrating the masses political awareness, as on this day, instead of providing support to the corrupt elements, they became a strong support to the mission for elimination of the menace of corruption from Pakistan. “Today is the day of defeat of such elements, who did not handle the public money justly and by rendering people poor, they constructed their own palaces. Those, who used politics for loot and plunder are today being made an example for others,” she went on to emphasise.

In an earlier tweet, she said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would today observe the thanksgiving day, as on this very day in 2018, the 23-year long struggle by Imran Khan and aspirations of people were realised. People have given Imran Khan the mandate to carry out accountability and today is the day of victory.