LAHORE: The PML-N has chided the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government for “banning” the live speech of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maualan Fazlur Rehman on electronic media.

“The PTI government has ripped to shreds the law, Constitution, rules and decency, to impose its fascist agenda on the people of Pakistan. From disgracing honourable judges in the middle of hearings, to banning broadcast of elected public leaders speech, Imran Khan’s ability to stoop lower with his every failure is immeasurable,” PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Auranzeb said in a statement here on Wednesday.

She said that “desperate and frustrated” by his failures, premier Khan had not only destroyed the country’s economy, but also disfigured whatever semblance of democratic and constitutional freedom was left under his despotic rule.

“There is no rule in the Pemra (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) Ordinance that allows such a fascist act [of banning the speech]. Such actions by the shameless beneficiary of uncensored round-the-clock coverage of his [Imran Khan’s] dharna speeches only exposed his shallow character. His incoherent and indecent ramblings from the container were never interrupted because the prime minister at the time, Nawaz Sharif, was a truly elected leader and had unshakeable confidence in his voters and the power of their vote,” she said.

She further said the “selected premier” was scared of every truth regarding his inability to deliver. “This censorship and fear of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s press talk proves that Imran is scared of his [Fazl’s] narrative which implies that the selected prime minister has endorsed that whatever the JUI-F chief is saying is truth.”

Ms Aurangzeb said if Imran’s ‘iron-fist’ was not stopped, such brutal dismissal of law and flagrant denial of constitutional rights would only incite the most severe of reactions which could be extremely unhealthy for the country.

Meanwhile, PML-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal said the PTI government was taking revenge from the people of Punjab, prompting the PML-N to mull launching of a “Save Punjab” campaign. He was talking to reporters after attending the meeting of newly-appointed party office-bearers here. He said to save the country fresh elections were inevitable.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2019