ISLAMABAD July 24: The unprecedented security measures adopted for Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali during the two-day meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) at its secretariat marred the impression of it being a political party’s gathering.
Huge police contingents were manning all routes to and from the PML House on Margalla Road on Wednesday and Thursday with plain clothed intelligence agency sleuths roaming the vicinity carrying wireless sets. Besides, dozens of commandos remained vigilant against any untoward incident. However, they became a wall between the prime minister and the common man, including journalists.
Press reporters and cameramen of various newspapers and television channels, who had been formally informed/invited by the party secretariat to a briefing at 2:30pm by Prime Minister Jamali, were not even allowed to come face to face with the premier.
The attitude of the security personnel became more unbecoming when they were told that the prime minister would leave at 1:30pm (one hour ahead of schedule). The security personnel started building a human shield, making it impossible for the reporters to even see Prime Minister Jamali pass them by in his car.
Though reporters were allowed to enter any room of the building when the party’s parliamentary group met on Wednesday, they were barred even from entering the premises on Thursday when the meeting of the central working committee was in progress.
Against the backdrop of such an attitude towards journalists, PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had announced in one of the earlier CWC meetings that they (journalists) would be free to even sit in the party meetings.
When asked about the rationale behind such a harsh treatment towards reporters, the information minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, said: “Probably the prime minister was unhappy with the way the parliamentary party meeting was reported by the press today.”
The press secretary to the prime minister said: “Arrangements at the PML House were solely looked after by the party and the newsmen must have been barred by them.”
Another party stalwart accused prime minister’s political secretary Yahya Munawar of ordering a complete ban on journalists.
The press crews had started pouring in as soon as the premier arrived to attend the meeting at 11:30am, but the gates were shut for all entrants, except the members.