Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former special assistant to the Punjab chief minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday stated that cracks were appearing in the ties between her party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid due to “personal actions” of the Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.
Speaking on a Geo News programme earlier today, Awan, while referring to a recent incident where she was denied entry to Punjab Assembly premises, said the move was a clear indication of the shrinking ties between the two parties.
On Aug 9, the former provincial special assistant faced an awkward situation on Monday when she was stopped at the 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 once more look for her name on the list but all her efforts go in vain and she had to move back from Punjab Assembly.
“A few days ago, I facilitated enrollment of a son of vice president of PML-Q into PTI and then got him a ticket from PP-38. And if somebody leaves [Pervez Elahi’s] party, contests election from some other platform and manages to get elected … and if the MNA from the constituency is denied access to the provincial assembly, it is a clear indication of souring ties between the two allies,” said the PM’s former aide while speaking on the Geo talkshow on Wednesday.
This is not the only time that disputes between the ruling coalition have made headlines. Rather, over the past year the PML-Q has been reportedly blamed the ruling party for not fulfilling the promises it had made earlier.
Amid sporadically recurring reports of rifts between the two parties, it was reported in June this year that the matter was settled after the PTI had agreed to one of the PML-Q’s demands of providing development funds to its MNAs.
The PTI leader on the occasion corroborated that there were several such instances. “A bill related to journalists was recently tabled and approved on a private members’ day that later triggered protests from the journalists’ community. Subsequently, I raised a voice that it was a private member’s bill and not the government’s”.
She further said that a message was sent to her later that the government was not bound to undertake legislation with her consent.
Speaking about her appointment as adviser to the Punjab chief minister, she said the prime minister and Saifullah Naizi had convinced her to go to the province “because of my requirement there”.
“Despite losing the elections, I worked in the province for three years and as a result I emerged victorious from PP-38.”
She said competitors often pull their opponents’ leg and it was a democratic way to make efforts for progress and “in case someone did that to me, I would hold no grudge against that person.”
The former adviser said Prime Minister Imran Khan, would assign her a new role if the party felt her services were required for the country and the province.
She said Punjab was a difficult battleground, adding that the PTI’s main rival party had set a different trend among the public and bureaucracy.
“Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, who is an honest man, is not highlighting on media the public welfare works he has undertaken and anyone who doesn’t brag about and publicise their works fails to get prominence on media screens,” she explained.
She said she was the fifth information minister changed in the province and hoped her successor “plays his innings till last”, adding that the erstwhile office-holders perhaps failed to meet the expectations of the leadership.
On Monday, Firdous had 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 after being barred entry.
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.
Previously, the 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.
