Alleged remarks against media, lawyers: press reports termed media trial of Zardari
ISLAMABAD (January 28 2009): Minister for Information Sherry Rehman and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan have contradicted the press reports regarding alleged remarks of President Asif Ali Zardari to fix media and lawyers. Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, the ministers termed the reports as media trial of President Zardari.
“The President fully believes in democratic values and could not even think about this type of remarks,” they added. Information Minister Sherry Rehman said that the Pakistan People’s Party was a firm believer in democratic norms and could not think of these baseless things as he (President) always gave high esteem to media and the lawyers.
Referring to the alleged remarks regarding fixing up of media and lawyers during a parliamentary meeting attributed to the President as baseless, she said the President, who was symbol of the federation always took all issues in a democratic way and he had always adopted political ways to resolve issues.
She was of the view that the President, while addressing the parliamentary party of the PPP on Monday night, had asked the ministers and the parliamentarians to listen to the people about their problems and work to resolve them.
She said the PPP was a party that always promoted federalism and democracy in the country, while the President, who was co-chairman of the party, faced 11 years of imprisonment for the cause of democracy. She said that the lawyers’ long march was their democratic right and the government would not create any hurdle in the way of peaceful demonstration.
She reminded that it was the PPP government, which facilitated the lawyers’ community in the last long march, and hoped that the lawyers would also adopt a democratic attitude in their movement. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan also contradicted the media report, and said that such things were never discussed at the meeting as PPP always respected the media and civil society.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:1/28/2009
” 
” 
” 
” 
