Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Punjab Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan offered her side of the story in the controversy involving Sialkot Assistant Commissioner (AC) Sonia Sadaf on Monday, wherein she said that the AC’s attitude had been disappointing.
Speaking about the incident, she said, “If the implementation is not being done on the coronavirus SOPs fixed by the government, then [it should be understood] that we [public office holders] are accountable to the people.”
She also accused some media persons of having distorted the picture yesterday (Sunday) when the incident took place.
The chief minister’s aide said there were a few media persons at the Ramadan bazaar yesterday who “became a party and twisted the narrative” by giving an angle to the episode.
“[They] said I had gotten angry because I was not provided protocol,” she said. Taking a dig at Sonia Sadaf, Dr Awan said any person who does not want to “come out of his/her air-conditioned room” should not get involved seek employment in public service professions.
“These people should look towards easier professions and those who want to tread on the difficult path, should have it in them to bear the burdens that come with it,” she said.
Dr Awan said the women she was fighting for in the Ramadan bazaar neither belonged to her constituency nor were they her relatives. “These were common people for whom we bought sugar from stalls and gave it to them so that the government’s goodwill is maintained,” she said.
The Punjab chief minister’s aide said politicians and those who “have to knock on the people’s doors to seek their votes” have to assess the situation and take measures accordingly in the interest of the masses.
Summarising yesterday’s incident, she said: “Anyone who stands in the way of the Punjab government’s initiative and Usman Buzdar’s roadmap and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s mission, then I want to make it clear that I am the awaam first and then a representative of the awaam,” she said.
Taking notice of the insulting attitude adopted by his Special Assistant on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan towards Sialkot AC on Sunday, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar earlier on Monday summoned Firdous to give an explanation for her conduct.
Firdous had admonished Sialkot AC Sonia Sadaf publicly during her visit to Ramazan Bazaar, resulting in anger in Punjab bureaucracy as Chief Secretary (CS) Jawad Rafique Malik conveyed to CM Buzdar his and other civil servants’ concern over the incident.
While reacting to the incident, CS Malik had said the administrative officers were doing their duties on the frontline during coronavirus pandemic and harsh weather.
He said using harsh language against any officer was condemnable. He said the officers were in the field day and night to give relief to the masses which is commendable. “No one should insult the officer,” he said, adding that they had already conveyed their concern to the chief minister regarding the incident.
A video of Firdous Ashiq Awan surfaced on Sunday while she was inspecting a Ramazan Bazaar in her native town.
On the occasion, Dr Firdous scolded AC Sonia Sadaf. The video got a very strong reaction on the internet.
