PTI to defeat opponents with political means: Dr. Firdous

LAHORE: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that Punjab Information Commission (PIC) highlights the agenda of change espoused by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
She said this while addressing a press conference flanked by Chief Information Commissioner Mehboob Qadir Shah on Tuesday.
Dr Firdous said the PIC has given a decision over 5600 appeals and enabled the masses to keep a vigilant eye over the performance of the government institutions. She said the PIC is committed to ensuring transparency by giving the right to people to question the governmental performance. After KPK, PIC was set up in Punjab and it is playing an important role in keeping the people informed, she said.
The special assistant said the PTI government is working to improve departmental performance by digitizing the institutions. The use of technology is the best option to ensure transparency in the electoral process and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) must adopt modern technological tools to ensure transparency in the Senate election. The opposition and the government will have to work jointly to ensure transparent election in the country, she said.
Responding to a question, Dr Firdous said that it is deplorable that those claiming to give respect to the vote are eager to use the money for their illegal means. She regretted that Ishaq Dar had become senator who did not bother to take an oath. “These people want to use such democratic institutions for safeguarding their plunder. When they are questioned about their misdeeds, they use some parliamentarians for safeguarding their corruption,” she added.
The special assistant said the opposition does not want to use the platform of the Senate for public welfare rather they are interested in using democracy for some wrong practice by making the institutions corrupt. She said the PTI is striving hard to ensure transparency in institutions as well as democracy.
To another question, the SACM said that MQM was offered two Senate seats for giving a vote to Yousaf Raza Gillani but they gave preference to the national interest and sacrificed its self-interest. The allied parties stand with PM Imran Khan, she said.
The SACM said that PTI will defeat the opponents with political means and the government is working to protect the interest of the masses. The politics of the opposition revolves around their personal interests, she said.
The opposition has no agenda and if someone disagrees then it should accept it openly and hypocrisy should be avoided. “We want that representation should be given according to the seats and we do not want to promote horse-trading in any house of the parliament. If anybody wants to give a vote to the government then it should be done openly,” the SACM said.
Speaking on the occasion, Mehboob Qadir Shah said that Punjab Information Commission is a mission that is going to conduct a social audit of the government performance adding that a fine of up to Rs50,000 is enforced on the department failing to provide requisite information. – TLTP