ISLAMABAD: The Pakhtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leaders have asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to prove the alleged foreign funding to the movement.
Pakistani parliamentarian & PTM representative Mohsin Dawar says Islamabad Press Club did not allow their planned press conference today after confirming the booking. "Press club staff refused to give us space. Everyone knows who is pressurizing them," Mr. Dawar tells those gathered outside the club. He is flanked by Ali Wazir (MNA), Afrasiab Khattak, Farhatullah Babar and Gulalai Ismail.
Posted by SAFE Newsrooms on Friday, April 26, 2019
PTM leaders Mohsin Dawar, Ali Wazir, Gulalai Ismail and others maintained, addressing a press conference outside the National Press Club on Friday, that the prime minister should be thoughtful and responsible in issuing statements regarding the fake accusation of monetary aid from foreign agencies. The PTM leaders alleged that they were not allowed to hold a press conference inside the press club.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad Press Club had to face a tirade of criticism from Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto for refusing to allow two elected representatives of Waziristan Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir and prominent political leaders like Afrasiab Khattak and Farhatullah Babar to hold a press conference despite already booking of the place.
Extremely disappointed to hear that 2 elected MNA were not allowed to hold their press conference at National Press Club Islamabad. While censorship has reached new heights in NayaPakistan, press clubs have always been sanctuaries of free speech even under the worst dictatorship.
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) April 27, 2019
“Extremely disappointed after hearing that the two elected MNAs were not allowed to hold their press conference at the National Press Club Islamabad,” Bilawal said in a tweet on Saturday that while censorship has reached its new heights in Naya Pakistan, press clubs have always been considered safe venues for arranging free speeches, even under the worst dictatorship,” he added.
Activists from the Pasthun Tahfuz Movement stated that their objective behind holding the press conference was to issue a rebuttal to PM Khan’s allegation of foreign funding that was leveled against the movement.
According to PTM, such unproven and invalid remarks constitute a hurdle in the way of delivery of free speech rights.
