No one can force CEC to resign: Marriyum

Information minister discusses bilateral cooperation with UK’s Turner

ISLAMABAD:

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb in an apparent warning to former prime minister Imran Khan said no amount of threats, harassment, hooliganism, violence and attacks can force the chief election commissioner to resign or hold snap elections.

The minister, in a media briefing at the Press Information Department on Tuesday, strongly condemned the horrific blast in Karachi University. She reminded how former PM Nawaz Sharif's National Action Plan (NAP) had helped restore peace in the country in consensus with all the provincial governments.

She said implementation of NAP was among the highest priorities of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for which he would soon visit Karachi to get to the bottom of the unfortunate incident.

Marriyum added that those who were ruling the country and looting the people of Pakistan only just two weeks ago, were blaming the incumbent government for economic problems and load-shedding.

"The people who took inflation from 3.1 to 16 per cent, who unemployed millions and pushed as many below the poverty line, had started questioning the incumbent government under PM Shehbaz as to why hasn't everything they destroyed in four years, been fixed in two weeks!”

On the other hand, the information minister met British High Commissioner Christian Turner.

“Pakistan’s relations with the UK are based on mutual respect, common views on a wide range of regional and international issues and Islamabad immensely values these bilateral ties,” Marriyum remarked.

She added that Pakistan’s relations with the UK continued to grow during the past 75 years, and Pakistan was looking forward to further strengthen bilateral ties.

Congratulating Marriyum on assuming the portfolio of minister for information and broadcasting, Turner expressed his desire to work together to further strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

They discussed development of bilateral relations, including cooperation in various fields of media, digital media, media-training and filmmaking.

The minister termed fake news a big challenge for the entire world including Pakistan.

Turner congratulated the information minister on the 75th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence.

They also agreed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the UK in a befitting manner.

The minister concluded that there would be special celebrations on Independence Day of Pakistan on August 14 at the embassies of Pakistan and the UK.