LAHORE: Two spokesmen for the government have stirred up an ‘uncalled for’ controversy about the ‘Karachi incident.’

Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has claimed that Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had called PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari following the “Karachi incident” to handle the crisis.

However, Dr Awan’s statement was immediately rebutted by Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Shahbaz Gill. “Dr Awan’s statement is either her personal analysis or her statement has been run out of context. In order to set the record straight, Dr Awan’s statement is not correct,” Dr Gill tweeted.

Speaking at a news conference here on Thursday, Dr Awan said the investigations into the “Karachi incident” and final outcome proved that Pakistan Army was a disciplined force.

Security force for mass transport projects soon

Referring to the violation of the sanctity of the Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum and the consequent action, she said the state institutions should not be under the influence of personalities and added that this was the exact manifesto and vision of the PTI government.

Dr Awan said the PML-N leaders’ wailing in the PDM public meetings showed that they wanted to protect their ‘plunder’ of national resources and money laundering.

She also stated that the PML-N and PPP were not sincere to each other and were instead trying to cheat with their hypocritical moves. “If they cannot stand united on one narrative, how they will reach their envisioned destination,” she asked.

To a question, she said the government was working on controlling price hike and arresting the profiteers and hoarders and hoped that inflation would be controlled soon.

Transport Minister Jahanzeb Khichi briefed the media about the performance of his department and added that this government completed the Orange Line Metro Train despite reservations on the cost and subsequent subsidy cost just because a huge public money was already invested in the project. He said the transport department had digitised all its routes and closed all chances of corruption.

Referring to a brawl in the OLMT, the minister said the transport department had decided to develop its own security force to protect the government’s mass transport projects. He said around 1,000 people would be recruited for the department’s security force.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2020