Irfan Siddiqui incident displeases PM: Firdous

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said Monday the prime minister had sought a report about the incident, which recently happened with columnist Irfan Siddiqui.

In tweets, she noted a decision would be taken in light of the facts, and the responsible would be punished. She added the prime minister had expressed displeasure over the incident and took its notice.

She said Irfan Siddiqui had to suffer due to the lacunas in the system for which the prime minister was determined to do away with. Dr Awan alleged the PML-N leaders overplayed the incident to get political oxygen from it.

Meanwhile Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said Monday Maulana Fazlur Rehman was using students of seminaries as a shield for achieving his political objectives.

Talking to journalists here outside the Parliament House, she pointed out Fazlur Rehman was siding with those who had looted and plundered the nation and the nation knew their machinations very well. “Instead of giving support to the plunderers, the JUI-F chief should focus on actual obligation of giving guidance to masses as siding with the looters is in negation to the Islamic teachings,” she maintained.

Referring to his Sunday’s public meeting, she charged Maulana Fazlur Rehman was narrating the events of his 15-year stay at the Ministers Enclave. This way, she said, he was also sharing his pain of staying away from the corridors of power with people.

Referring to the National Minority Day, she showered praise on them and said Pakistan was incomplete without the minorities. She pointed out that the white portion of the national flag represented the Pakistani minorities, who had a significant role from creation of Pakistan to its stability and prosperity.

The valuable services, she noted, rendered by the minorities, were always seen with due acknowledgement and appreciation.

She accused the PPP-led government of Sindh of resorting to cheap tactics and using police to crush the political opponents across the province in the name of democracy. She condemned what she called the police action against PTI MNA Alamgir Khan in Karachi. ­