Constitutional package: govt says striving to forge broader consensus

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that despite having numbers, the coalition government was making all-out efforts for the creation of a broader consensus on the proposed constitutional package.

Talking to the media outside Parliament House along with the senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Haneef Abbasi, he said the process of consultations for the constitutional package was ongoing and Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto held meetings with Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan Amir Fazlur Rehman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “We are democratic people, we try to create a consensus among all political stakeholders,” he said adding that in democratic societies, efforts were made for consensus building through consultations.

He said that by changing the rules within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the powers of posting and transfer of police officers have been taken over by the Chief Minister from the IG. The minister said that the PTI aimed to obtain political objectives from the police. He alleged that the KP Government wanted to control the people of the province politically.

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Tarar said that the people from Punjab were also kept in KP and blame was shifted on the institutions for what they called their disappearance. The KP chief minister invaded the capital and used government resources against the Federation, he said.

The minister said the PTI has the habit of blaming others but they did not look into their behaviour.

Attaullah Tarar said that the PTI leadership threatened that the homes and businesses of those members would be set ablaze who would cheat the founder chairman of the PTI. He said the PTI had no problem with those working against the interest of the country, but they want to punish those who ditch Imran Khan.

Foremost was the interest of the country, political leaders and political parties come second, he opined. He said if any legislator was attacked, the state would take action and culprits would be given exemplary punishment.

The minister remarked that the PTI was crying hoarse for political face-saving, otherwise, they knew the ruling alliance had secured the numbers needed for the amendment. Replying to questions, he said there are other options within the constitution and law but the PML-N leadership and party thought that a consensus should be created on the amendments.

The information minister said the government had an open mind in moving ahead with constitutional amendments. He maintained that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders were nervous about meeting their leader.

In terms of judicial reforms, efforts were being made for consensus in the wider national interest, but if that was not possible, other options while remaining within the scope of the constitution and law were available.

To a question, he said that elements behind spreading fake news of rape have been traced. “A woman belonging to Karachi who posted fake news on social media yesterday has been traced”, he told the media.

He said during recent student protests, students were not tortured. He said that students were brought to the streets through an organized campaign and names of the PTI leaders behind this would be disclosed. He said an FIR has been registered against those who took part in this campaign.

Ruling out any concession to those involved in the £190 million scandal, Toshakhana and cipher cases, he said that the £ 190 million case was a mega corruption case in the history of Pakistan. “There is a zero-tolerance policy in this regard, no NRO will be given to a criminal,” he added.

The minister demanded that May 9 cases should be brought to a logical conclusion as soon as possible by awarding punishment to the culprits. He said the National Assembly session was adjourned for further consultations with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other political parties to create a broader consensus. He said PML-N President Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz Sharif were also coming to Islamabad.

Replying to a query, he said there has never been any bitterness with any journalist. He said he always had tried to work for the welfare of the media community and was available for freedom of expression 24 hours a day.