The appeasing act: Govt pacifies incensed media with ‘unconditional apology’

Says the CM did not intend to blame journalists for the recent spate of violence.

PESHAWAR:

Not only did the opposition benches castigate the government for its policies on dealing with terrorism, incensed journalists also staged a walkout from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday over the chief minister’s earlier remarks regarding the media’s role.

Both the opposition and treasury benches tried to convince journalists to re-enter the assembly after they boycotted the session following Chief Minister Pervez Khattak’s remarks of blaming the media for the recent spate of violence in the city. “How can the media be blamed for bomb blasts?” demanded one journalist.



It was not until Minister for Information Shah Farman assured the media he will address the issue on the floor of the house that the journalists returned.

Awami National Party (ANP) parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak and Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Nighat Orakzai in their speeches said politicians and media were inseparable. They denounced the chief minister’s remarks and demanded an apology.

However, the atmosphere cooled down when Shah Farman delivered an ‘unconditional apology’ on behalf of the government on the floor of the house. Farman maintained media was part of the state, saying “we tender an unconditional apology”. He added Chief Minister Khattak did not mean to say what he did. “It was the free media that created awareness amongst the masses. Otherwise, the PTI would not have been in power.”

The assembly session chaired by Deputy Speaker Imtiaz Qureshi later took up the law and order situation for discussion.

Aurangzeb Nalotha of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said the government seemed to have no policy to deal with the situation at hand. “Taliban have attempted to sabotage the dialogue process even after the government’s positive steps for the process,” he said.

“The government needs to show courage and convey a clearer message now (to the terrorists),” demanded the PML-N lawmaker, who was also backed by other members of the opposition.

Mufti Syed Janan of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) claimed the province says it is the responsibility of the centre while the centre puts the blame on the province. He demanded the ‘real’ situation should be explained. Saleem Khan of PPP said the APC’s decisions should be implemented and if there is no outcome of the dialogue process, then “bold steps” should be taken.

Minister for Health Shaukat Yousafzai responded to the criticism of the opposition by saying terrorism should not be used for point-scoring. Referring to Nalotha, Yousafzai said the demand for a bold decision should be put forward to his party, PML-N, which was ruling in the centre.

The provincial assembly later passed a joint resolution presented by JUI-F MPA Askar Pervez condemning the terrorist attacks on All Saints Church, Qissa Khwani Bazaar and Gulbela bus. The resolution was supported by both the treasury and opposition benches, including Israrullah Gandapur, Shah Farman, Sardar Hussain Babak, Nighat Orakzai, Arbab Akbar Hayat and certain other members of the house.

In his concluding remarks, Law Minister Israrullah Gandapur said the government is taking practical steps regarding issues pertaining to law and order. A report with suggestions will be submitted on October 3 by Commissioner Peshawar in this regard,
he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2013.