PESHAWAR: Federal information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday denied reports of differences among members of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and insisted that the ruling coalition took decisions after consultation.

“No differences have emerged in the federal government since its formation. All decisions are taken by coalition partners with mutual consultation,” the minister told a presser at the Peshawar Press Club.

She also said matters among allies were progressing smoothly with a focus on the strengthening of the economy.

The minister said PDM chief and JUI-F leader Maulana Fazal Rehman met PM Shehbaz on Monday night and it was a routine meeting.

Federal minister alleges May 9 riots were Imran Khan’s brainchild

“The prime minister meets Maulana Fazal Rehman, Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari twice or thrice every month,” she said.

Ms Marriyum said the PML-N’s supremo and former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, would return to the country soon to lead the party’s campaign for the upcoming general elections.

She ruled out the possibility of the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement’s members contesting elections together and said coalition partners would enter the electoral arena with their own manifestos.

The minister said that only enemies of Pakistan have benefited from the violence on May 9 and alleged the desecration of the martyrs’ memorials and attacking state institutions was the “brainchild” of Imran Khan.

She said she visited the building of the Radio Pakistan Peshawar that was torched by the PTI activists on May 9, and inaugurated renovation work.

Ms Marriyum said she had also ordered the administration of Radio Pakistan to display the torched assets on the main entrance for public information.

She said cinemas would be set up on the premises of the PTV and Radio Pakistan Peshawar.

The minister said the federal government was striving to restore the “culture of tolerance and non-violence alarmingly damaged by PTI chief Imran Khan through his speeches.”

She alleged that the PTI blocked investigations through courts into the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit, foreign funding, Toshakhana and other scams while its chairman, Imran Khan, declared leaders of other parties “thieves.”

About reports regarding the termination of journalist Azam Chaudhry from the PTV, she said Mr Chaudhry had never been an employee of the state television.

“Azam Chaudhry has only been member of an issues-based analyst pool for the PTV. He has not been removed from that pool nor has he ever been asked to leave,” she said.

The minister said the views and opinions of that journalist were “known to the government” when he was invited to the news conference.

“If the government wanted to suppress his [Mr Chaudhry’s] voice, he would not have been invited and given the opportunity to ask questions. The prime minister answered his questions in detail. I answered his questions as well,” she said.

The minister said unlike the previous PTI government and its “fascist” prime minister, who was declared a “predator” by the Reporters Without Borders, PM Shehbaz Sharif and his government firmly believed in media freedom.

“The PTI government used to allow only selected journalists to its fascist PM’s press conferences. However, the present government ensures that PM Shehbaz Sharif’s press conferences are open to all media,” she said.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2023