SIALKOT: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has questioned the Sharif family’s silence over the Musharraf conviction by a special court in the high treason case.

“The Nawaz Sharif government had filed the high treason case against Pervez Musharraf in 2013 but his silence after former army chief’s conviction clearly suggests that the Sharifs are in politics for personal gain,” she told media on Sunday.

Ms Awan claimed that the entire Sharif family was now confused what their public stand should be over this burning issue. She said the party leadership which raised the ­slogan of vote ko izzat do (give respect to vote) had now abandoned its workers.

Reacting to recent speeches of Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Ms Awan said he should first introduce democracy in his party before seeking “genuine” democracy in Pakistan.

Firdous says Modi’s extremist policies have ruined India’s secularism

She said those who plundered the country’s wealth were now posing as people’s representatives. “The PPP leadership remembers Benazir Bhutto only on her death anniversary or ahead of elections to get votes.

The PM’s assistant, who was information minister during the last PPP government, bitterly criticised Mr Bhutto-Zardari for calling the PM “selected”.

“How come those who have been brought into politics on recommendations can call the prime minister selected,” she asked.

Commenting about the Indian citizenship bill, Ms Awan said Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s two-nation theory stood vindicated today.

She said India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become an “extremist state”.

According to dawn.com, she also commented on rec­ent tensions between India and Pakistan. “The people of Pakistan stand behind the army. Our media is showing the true picture of what is currently going on at the border [Line of Control]. “Our media is unveiling India’s true intentions and will continue to do so.”

She said that opposition continues to denounce democracy during Imran Khan’s tenure as it is not the type of democracy they want. “The prime minister is not in favour of the type of democracy where you worry about the wellbeing of your own children and not that of the nation’s children. Your own conduct is undemocratic. You should bring democracy to your own province.”

The PM’s aide said Indian premier’s extremist policies had ruined its secular state status in the world, adding that Indian people had strongly rejected extremist ideology of Modi.

“India is facing internal conflicts and confrontation due to which it is diverting the world’s attention by promoting disinformation and targeting the civilian population by unprovoked shelling along the Line of Control and killing innocent people,” she said, adding that the Pakistan Army had responded in an effective way to Indian aggression.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2019