Maryam should seek nation, media's forgiveness over leaked audio clip: Fawad

Shortly after a press conference by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's leadership, Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry said has said that the PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz should have apologised to the nation and the media over her leaked audio clip.

In the audio clip, which went viral over social media recently, Maryam could be heard issuing instructions to someone to stop advertisements to certain TV channels.

Maryam was talking about party advertisements. However, the issue spiralled into yet another political controversy and gave new intensity to political tussles, serving as a tool for the ruling party to hit back at the rival party for its usage of the CJP’s alleged audio clip as a rallying cry against the legitimacy of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.

Read more: PM Imran must step down over ECP ‘damning’ report: Maryam

"She [Maryam Nawaz] accepted herself that the audio clip was authentic and it was her own voice. She could be heard blaming some media groups," Fawad said during a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday.

He said that the PML-N leader should have apologised to the nation as well as the media for her remarks. "It is not necessary that even if you become a grandmother, you get wisdom along with it."

Fawad said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is out of the country for 17 months despite the fact he was given permission on medical grounds for only a few weeks.

The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, he said, conducted transparent elections in recent local body elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and is going to do the same in Punjab.

The information minister also told the reporters that the government had made a comprehensive plan to tackle inflation. "The finance bill will be passed by parliament on January 10... after successfully negotiating with the IMF, you will see stability in the country."

Also read: Ex-CJ should tell nation who ‘pressured’ him: Maryam

He said that despite the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan's economy is predicted to grow between 4.5 to 5 per cent which is a very healthy indicator.

"We're seeing a good economic growth in Pakistan... you will see stability in the country in next few months," he added.

He said that the PTI government was stable on both the political and economic fronts.