—— Solangi rebuts social media reports about GB
—— Says govt will punish those who spead lies
—— Rumours suggested that a proposal to hand over GB to another country for 50 years was under consideration
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Sunday strongly rebutted different rumours circulating on social media regard-ing Gilgit-Baltistan. The rumours suggested that a proposal to hand over GB to another country for 50 years was under consideration.
In a briefing, the minister said there was no truth in such rumours.
He added that no such news was published by any newspaper. Those spreading this fake news to achieve their nefarious designs would face legal action, the minister vowed.
Earlier, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting through its social media account also rejected the news as fake. “Dis-seminating fake news is not only unethical and illegal but it is also disservice to the nation. It is the re-sponsibility of everyone to reject irresponsible behaviour. Reject #FakeNews,” it wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Sunday said the intense political rhetoric in the country was a testament to the conduct of the election on a date announced by the electoral watchdog. “With the will of the Almighty, the elections will take place on Thursday, February 8, 2024,” said the minister while talking to a private media channel on a TV talk show.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would issue the general election schedule, he said, adding all political parties would be given 54 days under the constitution and law for electioneering. To a query, he said the courts were dispensing justice to everyone despite questions raised by a hand-ful of people.
Accountability should be done across the board, the minister said.
“The history suggests that some of the governments could not complete its democratic terms,” he said, adding the case hearing for former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has been scheduled after four decades.
He, to another query, said the caretaker government was bound to implement the orders of the apex court.
PTI officials, in the past, had emphasized the need for the return of illegal immigrants to their coun-tries, Solangi recalled.
“It seems that the former chief of PTI indirectly wants to gain sympathy from both the Taliban gov-ernment and the TTP, if so, it would be extremely regrettable,” he said while reacting to the former PTI chairman’s statement on Afghan-related issues.
“Public broadcasters operate on public support,” he said while underlining the need for carrying re-forms in these institutions of public importance.
He said there was a need to upgrade technology in these institutions. Rumours of their privatization were “baseless”, he added.
The minister ruled out privatization of the Pakistan Television (PTV) and Radio Pakistan.
To another query, he said Pakistan and United States bilateral relations had seen a lot of improve-ment.
“China is our strategic partner, and our relations with China will strengthen further,” he remarked.
peaceful and free elections in the country. However, the issues falling under its constitutional purview could be taken up for the smooth running of the affairs of the country, he added.
Reiterating the government’s resolve for introducing durable reforms in state institutions, he said that efforts were afoot to revamp the public institutions.
On this occasion, Bureau Chief APP Nazar Muhammad Jamali gave a detailed briefing to the minister on the working of the premier news agency.
