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Shaikh Waqas Akram said that the first phase of the civil disobedience movement is ongoing and is aimed at Pakistanis living abroad. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
ISLAMABAD:
A sharp war of words broke out between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday after a press conference by the federal information minister.
Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar’s press conference 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 talk, Akram called it a “comedy-filled press conference”, saying the official seemed “less of an information minister and more of a minister of fun and lies”.
He said that if a competition were held within the PML-N over who could lie the most, “everyone would try to outdo the other, but Atta Tarar would still lead the field.”
“The post of information minister exists to tell the truth and inform the nation about the facts,” Akram said, adding that it was unfortunate that the position had been reduced to “flattery, flattery and displays of loyalty in the court of power.”
He said repeating falsehoods did not turn lies into truth nor could it rewrite history. Referring to the PTI government’s tenure, Akram stated that Pakistan witnessed a level of peace not seen in decades.
“Terrorism has practically ended, suicide attacks have disappeared and the chapter on drone attacks has been closed,” he said, adding that those who now lament the return of terrorism are themselves responsible for it.
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 political survival and “fabricating a new baseless narrative every day”.
He maintained that almost four years had passed since the dismissal of Imran Khan’s elected government, during which, he said, Pakistan had been ruled by an administration based on a “false mandate and political engineering”.
“When Imran Khan’s government was overthrown, Pakistan was peaceful and terrorism was nowhere to be seen,” Akram said, adding that the current wave of militancy was a result of incompetence, wrong decisions and failed policies of the current rulers.
On the other hand, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari responded to X, condemning the “political exploitation” of a terrorist incident.
“Shame on those who play politics over a terrorist attack,” he said, adding that those who once used the bodies of Hazara martyrs as blackmail should remain silent.
He said people who use “vile language” against victims of terrorism and their families should keep their mouths shut.
Calling the fight against terrorism a war, he said the nation had defeated it before and would do so again.
He urged those who mourn Afghanistan but refuse to call terrorists by their name to keep their “dark politics” away from Punjab and the moments of happiness of the people.
