Reacting to the federal information minister’s media talk, Akram termed it a ‘comedy-filled press conference’
Shaikh Waqas Akram said that the first phase of the civil disobedience movement is ongoing, and it is aimed at Pakistanis living abroad. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
ISLAMABAD:
A sharp war of words erupted on Saturday between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after a press conference by the federal information minister.
Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar’s presser prompted a scathing response from PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram, who accused the government of distorting facts and politicising terrorism.
Reacting to the federal information minister’s media talk, Akram termed it a “comedy-filled press conference,” saying the officeholder appeared “less a minister of information and more a minister of amusement and lies”.
He said that if a competition were held within PML-N on who could lie the most, “everyone would try to outdo the other, but Atta Tarar would still lead the field.”
“The position of information minister exists to speak the truth and inform the nation of facts,” Akram said, adding that it was regrettable that the office had been reduced to “flattery, sycophancy and displays of loyalty in the court of power.”
He said repeating falsehoods did not turn lies into truth, nor could it rewrite history. Referring to the PTI government’s tenure, Akram claimed that Pakistan witnessed a level of peace that had not been seen for decades.
“Terrorism had practically ended, suicide attacks had vanished, and the chapter of drone strikes had been closed,” he said, adding that those now lamenting the return of terrorism were themselves responsible for it.
Akram accused the current ruling coalition of stealing the public mandate, forming a government with the support of 17 parties, and weakening the country, the Constitution, the courts and the parliamentary system.
He said the government was now fighting for political survival and “manufacturing a new baseless narrative every day.”
He maintained that nearly four years had passed since the removal of Imran Khan’s elected government, during which, he said, Pakistan had been ruled by an administration standing on a “fake mandate and political engineering.”
“When Imran Khan’s government was removed, Pakistan was peaceful and terrorism was nowhere to be seen,” Akram said, adding that the current wave of militancy was the result of incompetence, flawed decisions and failed policies of the present rulers.
On the other hand, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari hit back on X, condemning “political exploitation” of a terrorist incident.
“Shame on those who are doing politics over a terrorist attack,” she said, adding that those who once used the bodies of martyrs from Hazara as blackmail should remain silent.
She said individuals who used “vile language” against terrorism victims and their families should keep their mouths shut.
Calling the fight against terrorism a war, she said the nation had defeated it before and would do so again.
She urged those who mourn Afghanistan but refuse to call terrorists by their name to keep their “dark politics” away from Punjab and from the people’s moments of happiness.
