Former provincial special assistant Firdous Ashiq Awan faced an awkward situation on Monday when she was stopped at Punjab Assembly gate by the security staff.
The security staff told Ashiq, “Sorry madam! You don’t have the permission to enter in the Punjab Assembly.”
Firdous was stunned and shocked after the PA security staff apprised her about the update that she could not go into the legislative assembly.
She went to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Ahsan Saleem Barryar who won in a recently held by-election on a PTI ticket from Sialkot.
Firdous said in Punjabi,” Ki Matlab Aey,” (What do you mean?), to which the Punjab Assembly security personnel said, “You are respectful, but you are now not allowed to go inside as your name is not on the list.”
She insisted the staff to look again her name in the name but all her efforts go in vain and she had to move back from Punjab Assembly.
Talking to the media outside the provincial legislature, she said she was late to the oathtaking ceremony and the session had already ended, therefore “there was no need for me to go there. That is why I felt appropriate to not go to the assembly so there is nothing like this that anyone targeted me and stopped me from going inside”.
She said that the PML-Q was an ally of the PTI and the speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, had the right to permit or refuse entry as the custodian. “Whatever issues of our House are there, we will settle them among ourselves,” she said.
Referring to her former role as special assistant to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on information, she said her statements were not personal but the government’s stance and policy so “if there are any reservations then I will resolve them together with the speaker”.
Pressed by journalists on the Punjab Assembly speaker reportedly being angry with her, she said she was the “strongest voice” in advocating and strengthening the PTI-PML-Q alliance. “Today we think too … that we have to move forward together and resolve any reservations if there are any.”
Firdous explained that she had not informed anyone of her visit when questioned on why no minister or official had come out to receive her. “The purpose for which I was coming was the oathtaking and that ceremony had already ended and the session adjourned so we can make small talk outside as well,” she said.
Questioned again on whether she had been personally targeted due to the PTI and PML-Q’s political relations, Awan responded: “These are all ups and downs of politics … I think the stance you’re pointing to, if it exists, then it is a petty stance and big people have big thinking and they don’t get involved in such things and I don’t think this would be in the speaker’s notice.”
She praised Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as a man of “grand” thinking and vision, saying that his connection with the nation was very strong. “I don’t think he will target any current or former member and malign them … I expect big thinking from him,” Firdous.
Regarding her future political role in the PTI, Firdous said that she would perform whatever role the party deemed appropriate with honesty and trustworthiness under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s leadership.
Earlier, special assistant to chief minister Firdous stepped down from her position and her resignation was accepted by the Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
“Chief Minister has been pleased to accept the enclosed resignation tendered by Ms Firdous Ashiq Awan from the office of Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information,” the statement read. “Further necessary action may be taken accordingly,”, a notification issued by the Punjab CM’s Office confirmed.
