ISLAMABAD   -  Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar on Monday said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s abusive outburst against woman political opponents and journalists at the Sangjani public rally clearly showed his misdemeanour and sheer disregard for centuries-old Pashtoon norms and culture.  Addressing a joint press conference along with Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, he said the Pashtoons had a great tradition of according high respect to mothers, sisters and daughters.

Taking a jibe at Gandapur, he said that the person, who had challenged a woman political leader (Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz) was scared of terrorists and criminals in his own province. Only people of short stature like him could stoop so low by abusing and threatening political opponents especially women, he added.  The KP CM should have talked about the strategy to eradicate terrorism from the province, but he indulged in mudslinging as per his party’s tradition, Tarar said.

The minister said that Maryam Nawaz had never bowed before any tyrant or oppressor, and did face fake cases bravely, besides imprisonment. He pointed out that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had a record of not carrying out even a single quality project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during its 12-year tenure.

He said that for its Sunday’s flopped meeting, the KP government ruthlessly used public resources and machinery to bring the people to the venue. The minister said in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, corruption had become an order of the day as the PTI leadWWers were getting kickbacks openly. Tarar questioned whether it was a revolution to challenge a woman opponent leader. In fact, Gandapur and other PTI leaders vented their frustration in the wake of a lacklustre party show. He said the designated routes for the PTI workers remained open and the administration did not put any obstacle. He reminded Gandapur that he was the chief minister of a province and he should take his job seriously, besides addressing the law and order issue in the KP.  He advised the KP CM to initiate development works in the province and ensure health and education facilities to the people.

Lashing out at Gandapur, he regretted that only those party leaders and civil servants had been removed who were not part of corruption campaign. Terming the PTI a foreign-funded outfit, Tarar said that the late anchorperson Arshad Sharif had in a programme proved that Imran Khan had Jewish connections citing the statements of Hakeem Saeed and Dr Asrar Ahmed.

A latest article in an Israeli newspaper had further exposed Imran’s links with Jewish lobbies, he added.

The minister said that Imran’s cult was brought in despite being involved in inappropriate acts such concealing of assets and other moral crimes and he was even being compared with sacred figures.

He said that the PTI leadership had even written a letter to the International Monetary Fund to push the country towards default.

He said that the politics of hypocrisy and double standards was the hallmark of the PTI leadership.

Tarar said that Nawaz Sharif during his three tenures as prime minister, had laid the network of development projects in the country.

He maintained that internal differences of the PTI had done the damage as the people stayed away from the so-called “mammoth rally”.

He reminded Gandapur that he still had time to mend his ways and serve the people of the province.

Attaullah Tarar said that soon a weekly programme would be launched to expose fake news.

Castigating the PTI’s social media activists, he said no revolution could be brought just by keyboard warriors.

Fake and old videos and footages were being uploaded by the PTI vloggers and woman activists in an effort to show that the ground of the rally was filled to the capacity, he added.

Even a former president had to apologise for uploading a fake video on his social media account, Tarar said.

To a question, the minister said that the opposition was playing its role in the Parliament as the constitutional democratic system was fully functional in the country.

He said that most of the mouthpieces of Imran Khan, who used to hold 10 press conferences on daily bases, had fled from the country. He challenged them to come back for facing the cases.

He said in the past, a leading politician raised the slogan of “Pakistan Khappey”, even after the martyrdom of his dear ones.

Nawaz Sharif, he said, came back to Pakistan to face legal proceedings leaving behind his spouse on the hospital bed abroad.

He said that most of the PTI leaders were opportunists who did not even spare national institutions.

The minister strongly condemned the threats hurled at the journalist community and derogatory remarks against woman media persons during the PTI rally.

The journalists were not politicians and they should not be treated in such a manner, he regretted.

Tarar said since assuming charge as Minister for Information and Broadcasting he had never stopped advertisements of any news channels since it resulted in delay of salaries to employees.

He asked the media to adopt a resolution against the PTI at the National Press Club.

He assured the media persons that the government would stand by them if they took any action against the PTI leaders for using abusive language.