SWABI, Nov 9: PML-N acting chief Makhdoom Javed Hashmi will be punished according to the law of the land if found guilty, said Nilofer Bakhtiar, adviser to the prime minister on women development, social work and special education.

Talking to Dawn here at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi, on Sunday, she said the army was a prestigious institution and no one should indulge in its defaming.

She was referring to Mr Hashmi’s arrest which has sparked nationwide protests by the opposition.

Regarding the Legal Framework Order (LFO) stalemate, she said the government had made vigorous efforts for its peaceful settlement but the opposition had created a peculiar situation and was bent upon protesting.

She said, on the one hand the parliamentarians had contested elections and entered the National Assembly and provincial assemblies under the LFO, and on the other they were waging a struggle for its repeal.

She said that a majority of the opposition members had opposed the protest strategy, but a few lawmakers insisted on pressing ahead with the plan as they were taking dictation from abroad.

She admitted that the National Assembly had failed to work or legislate during the last one year much to the disappointment of the people.

Earlier, the adviser awarded shields and certificates among the winners of the All Pakistan Bilingual Declamation Competition 2003 which was organized by the debating society of the institute.

The award of best speaker in English was captured by Syed Hashin Zaidi of Salamat ICAS and the shield of best speaker in Urdu went to Iqrar-ul-Hasan of GCU.

The award of second best speaker in English was received by Sana Attq of College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Islamabad, while Rao Umer of Sadiq Public school was given the shield for second best speaker in Urdu.

The Team Trophy was captured by GCU.