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Sheikh Waqas Akram said the first phase of the civil disobedience movement is underway and it targets Pakistanis living abroad. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
ISLAMABAD:
A heated war of words broke out between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday after a press conference by the federal information minister.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting’s spokesperson Attaullah Tarar drew a scathing response from PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram, who accused the government of distorting facts and politicizing terrorism.
Reacting to the federal information minister’s media address, Akram called it a “comedy-filled press conference”, saying the post-holder appeared “less like an information minister and more like a minister of entertainment and lies”.
He said that if a competition were held within the PML-N to see who could lie the most, “everyone would try to outdo the other, but Atta Tarar would always be ahead of the pack.”
“The post of information minister exists to tell the truth and inform the nation of the facts,” Akram said, adding that it was unfortunate that the post had been reduced to “flattery, sycophancy and displays of loyalty in the court of power.”
He said repeating lies does not turn lies into truth nor can it rewrite history. Referring to the tenure of the PTI government, Akram asserted that Pakistan had witnessed a level of peace not seen in decades.
“Terrorism is virtually over, suicide attacks have disappeared and the chapter of drone strikes is closed,” he said, adding that those who now deplore the return of terrorism are themselves responsible.
Akram accused the current ruling coalition of stealing the public mandate, forming a government with the support of 17 parties and weakening the country, the Constitution, the courts and the parliamentary system.
He said the government was now fighting for its political survival and was “making up a new baseless narrative every day”.
He claimed that almost four years had passed since the dismissal of the elected government of Imran Khan, during which, he said, Pakistan had been ruled by an administration based on “false mandate and political engineering”.
“When Imran Khan’s government was toppled, Pakistan was at peace and terrorism was nowhere to be found,” Akram said, adding that the current wave of militancy was the result of incompetence, wrong decisions and failed policies of the current leadership.
On the other hand, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari hit back at X, condemning the “political exploitation” of a terrorist incident.
“Shame on those who are playing politics following a terrorist attack,” she said, adding that those who once used the bodies of Hazara martyrs as blackmail should remain silent.
She said people who used “vile language” against terrorism victims and their families should shut up.
Describing the fight against terrorism as a war, she said the nation had defeated it before and would do so again.
She urged those who mourn Afghanistan but refuse to call terrorists by name to keep their “dark politics” away from Punjab and people’s moments of happiness.
