PPP draws Fazl’s ire for not airing his speech live

Bilawal says decision was made on a JUI-F lawmaker’s request

ISLAMABAD:

The PPP on Sunday drew flak from JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for not airing his speech at its all-party conference (APC) live on TV channels and social media platforms even though the firebrand cleric was one of the key opposition leaders at the event.

“The government restricts my voice from reaching the people but today APC also did the same,” the Maulana said, venting out his displeasure.

In a bid to pacify his ally, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the decision was made on the request of a JUI-F lawmaker.

Senior PPP leader Sherry Rehman said the speech was not aired because the session was in-camera and a news conference was also planned following the event.

However, the JUI-F rejected their clarifications and said he wanted to lodge his protest with the PPP and organisers of the APC over the “unjust move”.

He added that other leaders' speeches should not have been aired if the session was in-camera.

Apart from Fazl, other political leaders also addressed the APC which was held in Islamabad earlier in the day to chalk out a plan to oust the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government.

The conference was attended by political bigwigs, and even addressed by deposed premier Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari via video link from London and Karachi respectively.

Later taking to Twitter, PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz also expressed her displeasure over not airing Fazl's speech live.