No one can be ousted from politics – Nawaz a living example: Marriyum
LAHORE, Jun 13 (APP):Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday said no one could be ousted from the political arena as the conduct and actions of politicians shaped their future.
“Nobody can force out anybody from politics if [his or her] actions are rightful and Nawaz Sharif is a living example in this regard,” the minister said while addressing ‘Meet the Press’ programme here at the Lahore Press Club (LPC).
She said all-out efforts were made to minus Nawaz Sharif from the politics but in vain since he had deep roots among the people who wanted to see him in Pakistan for putting it again on the course of progress and development.
Marriyum said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif was a brave leader, who had courted his arrest before his workers. On the other hand, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief used his workers to achieve his ulterior motives.
The minister said the general election would be held once the incumbent National Assembly completed its constitutional tenure and it was the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold polls in the country.
She said the PML-N was ready to contest the general election and it was the only party which had already launched its country-wide campaign in that regard. People turned out in big numbers in the public gatherings addressed by PML-N Chief Organizer Maryam Nawaz Sharif in different cities including Shujaabad, Vehari, Kasur and Lahore.
“The masses are fully fed up with the politics of hatred and anarchy,” she said, adding the people would elect their representatives through ballot this time as a government which was imposed on them in 2018 had miserably failed.
“The party which came into the government as a result of suspending the RTS has collapsed like a house of cards” and the people would never let that happen again, she added.
To a query, she said the PTI chief would be held accountable for his wrong deeds and orchestrating the May 9 incidents in the country. The people involved in the mayhem on that day would be dealt as per the law.
She said the coalition government would not have reformed the National Accountability Bureau laws, if it had wanted to victimize political opponents.
Despite facing the worst form of political witch-hunt during the four years of PTI rule, the PML-N leadership did not play the victim card, she added.
The minister alleged that the PTI chief, soon after coming into the government, started victimisation of his opponents and sent all of them to jails and put some it death cells.
She said the masses had rejected the politics of hatred and chaos being pursued by the PTI as they knew it would hurt the country, which was heading into right direction because to people-friendly economic policies of the incumbent government.
Due to the historic steps taken by Shehbaz Sharif led government in the agriculture sector, she said, the country had bumper crops last year in spite of the devastating floods.
She said the government had taken precautionary measures to cope with the cyclone which might hit the south of the country. Similar steps were taken last year to face the cyclone, she recalled.
The minister said the government had introduced many packages for youth, farmers and women in the budget for the fiscal year 2023-24.
Marriyum said Rs 1 billion was allocated for health insurance of the journalists and media workers in the next year’s budget, which would help them meet their medical needs.
The health insurance scheme would be executed through the Press Information Department (PID) offices and a policy would be formulated in that regard within next two weeks, she added.
The minister said many media workers had visited the chamber of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif when he was Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly to request him for medical insurance, and the latter soon after coming into power, ordered to work out a scheme for the purpose.
“The media persons were exposed to the worst state oppression during the four years of the PTI government,” she added, while assuring that the PML-N would continue to stand with journalists.
She said the the Security and Safety Bill, which was with the Parliamentary Committee on Information and Broadcasting, would be enacted soon.
A fund for death claims of the journalists who lost their lives in accidents had also been included in the bill, she added.
“Rs 1 billion for health insurance scheme has been announced, while the next announcement would be made regarding the security and safety bill soon,” she added.
Marriyum said a circular regarding Rs 35,000 minimum wage had been sent to ITNE and PEMRA to ensure its implementation by the media outlets.
She further said the government had already set aside huge funds for the IT sector. The IT equipment for ‘Digital Labs’ in press clubs had been received in Islamabad and would be soon delivered to the press clubs, she added.
The minister said government offices were being shifted to the solar technology and promised that she would request Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to approve solar panels for the Lahore Press Club. .
Federal Secretary Information and Broadcasting Sohail Ali Khan, Press Information Officer Mobashir Hassan and provincial secretary information were present on the occasion.
Earlier on her arrival, LPC President Azam Chaudhry and Secretary Abdul Majeed Sajid received the the information minister and presented her a traditional shawl to express deep gratitude of the journalist community for the government’s welfare initiatives for them.
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