LAHORE-Special Assistant to the CM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Wednesday said that the corona situation was critical while the politics of the PDM was pathetic.
In a statement, she said that the PDM was facing internal conflicts while the lead Maulana had been badly exposed by his political companion.
Along with it, resignation-drive has also ended in a fiasco, she added. The elements comprising the PDM are pygmies before a giant like the PM Imran Khan. The pygmy politicians are uttering follies and the negative politics of the trio of princess, prince and the Maulana has met its logical end, she said. The SACM regretted the meetings staged by the Opposition resulted in increasing the number of corona patients. Usman Buzdar is disposing of necessary matters in self-isolation while issuing directions that corona SOPs should be strictly implemented, she added. While sharing details of the corona situation, the SACM said 44 patients have died and 653 new cases were reported during the last 24 hours.
A total of 3,732 corona patients have died in Punjab. The total number of corona patients in Punjab is 13,31,79 and 65,332 in Lahore, while, 15,214 have been tested during the last 24 hours while a total of 23,29,163 have been tested in Punjab, she added.
Separately, Dr Firdous Said that the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was taking steps to promote sports activities on priority basis.
“Youth comprises a major chunk of the country’s total population and it is crucial to harness their potential in constructive ways for the development of the country. Unfortunately, in the past the youth were deprived of legitimate facilities for sports and entertainment.
Until today there was no sports policy in Punjab, however, the PTI government is about to introduce first-ever sports policy in the province”, she said while addressing a press conference flanked by Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti at Punjab Sports Board Office National Hockey Stadium here on Wednesday.
Dr Firdous said that physical and mental wellbeing was at the heart of achieving national development goals and it is therefore necessary that the promotion of sports is given due policy focus not only to channelize the energies of our youth positively but also as a means to achieve the development goals.
She said that games and sports were particularly important for the youth as they play an important role in maintaining a healthy mind, body, and soul.
She said that the PTI government was a ray of hope for the youth and is providing all-out resources for the development of sports facilities in the province as they are essential for the development of youth’s mental strength and physical fitness.
The government has made a comprehensive plan to properly utilize the deserted fields and prepare the players for international competitions, she added.
She said that Shehbaz Sharif gave the province a corrupt system and the playgrounds of Lahore were destroyed with the construction material of the Metro Train project.
Responding to a question, Dr Firdous said that there would be an interesting and thorny contest within the Sharif family when Shehbaz Sharif would be out of jail and it would further reveal the rifts within the Sharif family.
She said that every time the Sharif family kept Hamza Shehbaz hostage and fled abroad, even Maryam Nawaz also fled to Jeddah with 40 suitcases.
Hamza Shehbaz is asking why every time his family sacrifices, why none of Nawaz Sharif’s sons come forward, she added. Criticizing Maryam Nawaz, Dr Firdous said that an immature political player like Mariyum Nawaz cannot compete with the elected representatives, who came to assemblies with the power of vote.
She said that Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman expelled Maulana Sherani from the party for speaking the truth.
She said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had a deep connection with power and he clung to the political system of Pakistan like a leech but now the government would not allow Maulana to play the game of his will. She said that apparently Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman is running a movement against the government but in reality his own party is running a movement against Maulana.
She said that on one hand the Opposition was pretending to resign from the assembly, whereas on the other hand these people were applying to the Election Commission for by-elections.
The people are now well aware of the hypocritical policies of opposition, she added.
She said that Mariyum Nawaz has neither any ability nor any skill because her political performance has been zero in recent days.
Later, the Special Assistant wished the Christian community a very happy Christmas in a cake cutting ceremony. Addressing the ceremony, she said that all minorities are part and parcel of the Pakistani societal fabric and they are as much patriotic as their Muslim counterparts.
Dr Firdous said that the PTI government is committed to the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the enlightened, moderate, and tolerant Pakistan.
The Constitution of Pakistan gives people the right to freely practice their religion and fairly share economic opportunities for their empowerment, she added.
She said that the Christian community of Pakistan today stands more integrated and is taking an active part in the socio-economic development of the country.