LAHORE: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulmaa-i-Islam, is just hurling empty threats and his ‘Azadi March’ has no reality, said Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan.

Addressing a press conference here at the Radio Pakistan Lahore centre on Tuesday, she said: “We will see when the decisive moment comes. Peaceful protest is allowed but crossing the red line is not. The Maulana is just trying to destabilise the country, nothing else. But, he won’t succeed.”

She said those who were incarcerated in corruption cases were now trying different tactics to keep the situation in the country volatile and “the Maulana was one such device”. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and other related institutions were also threatened for the same reasons but mercifully these nefarious designs (of destabilisation) did not succeed, she added.

Sees hangings, imprisonment of the corrupt behind China’s progress

Continuing, she said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, could not defeat Pakistan on the foreign front on the Kashmir issue. Now, a few ill-advised politicians were trying to do the same on internal front, which was regrettable, the especial assistant said and added: “Such marches and destabilisation at this critical juncture is tantamount to promoting the Indian narrative and tactics by keeping Pakistan on the tenterhooks. The political parties need to realise the ramifications of their acts.”

Attaching great importance to the China sojourn of Prime Minister Imran Khan, she said a long list of meetings, including with investors, were planned and would yield better financial results in near future. She insisted that the reason behind the Chinese tremendous and quick progress was jailing of 500 most corrupt people.

She added that these incarcerations, and even hangings, never stopped the Chinese progress; rather it made the system transparent and quickened development.

However, she said, without realising the importance of ending corruption, some people in Pakistan were demanding end to the ongoing anti-corruption drive and shift the focus to progress.

Talking about the state of affairs of the Radio Pakistan, Ms Awan said the prime minister had directed the information ministry to improve the institution. As first step, she said, the government had cleared Rs700 million pension dues of the radio employees.

She said the Radio Pakistan was a national voice that crossed borders and it would be made more effective. “It is the only voice that still reaches [India] Held Kashmir. This national voice slowly became weaker and that was precisely why the government had already finalised plans for the structural improvement in the Radio Pakistan, she added. However, the financial health of the institution was a cause of worry but it would be taken care of, she claimed.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2019