Ministers flay opposition for rallies

Federal ministers on Friday hit out at opposition parties for putting lives at risk by holding rallies amid the second wave of Covid-19.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Shibli Faraz said the opposition was displaying an irresponsible behaviour.

He urged the opposition to “stop playing with the lives of the people for personal gains”.

“People have rejected the opposition parties and their small rallies are a proof of that,” he maintained.

He said the constituent parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement, the opposition alliance, neither had the same destination, nor the same mindset.

"Passengers from opposite directions do not reach the destination", he remarked.

State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammed Khan said the opposition was equally responsible for the safety of people's lives amid the pandemic.

Talking to a private news channel, he said the opposition should cooperate with the government in the fight against the second wave of the coronavirus and avoid holding public gatherings in the larger interest of public health.

He criticised opposition for having double standards while dealing with Covid-19. “It [PPP] is taking strict preventive measures in the province [Sindh] where it is in power, and taking people out on the roads elsewhere for personal gains.”

Adviser to the PM on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar accused the PML-N leadership of playing politics over the body of Begum Shamim Akhtar, the deceased mother of former premier Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharing an application written by the PML-N for release of Shehbaz on parole, he tweeted that the Punjab government had given the party an extraordinary favour. "The lies of PML-N spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb and senior leader Rana Sanaullah have been exposed as the party itself had requested the release of Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz on parole one day prior to the arrival of Begum Shamim’s body,” he added.

Separately, Shibli said every possible step would be taken for the progress and improvement of PTV as the government wanted to revive its past glory.

Talking to PTV on its 56th anniversary, the information minister congratulated its staff and said the broadcaster would be equipped with the state-of-the-art technology.

“The government wants to promote the country’s culture globally through the PTV’s transmission,” he said.

“The government is preparing a comprehensive plan for bringing improvement in the PTV and trying to address its all issues on a priority basis.”

Shibli said a visible change in the PTV's transmission would be witnessed in the coming days. “It [PTV] will screen the culture and colours of all the areas of the country.”

He added that the government would bring reforms in the PTV by enhancing its capacity and credibility. APP