Communications and Postal Services Minister Murad Saeed said on Thursday that he had no say in how the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) proceeded following his complaint on remarks made against him during a television show last week, adding that he had acted according to the law by registering a complaint and had no involvement in subsequent proceedings by the agency, a private TV channel reported.
“As a Pakistani, who has confidence in the Constitution and law of Pakistan, I acted in a lawful manner. After that … how the institution proceeded, it is its mandate. I shouldn’t be asked about this,” he said while replying to reporters’ questions during a press conference in Islamabad.
Saeed also clarified that in his complaint, he had only referred to the television show during which the remarks were made and requested for legal action.
Earlier in his press conference, Saeed said, “I am addressing Pakistan’s lower and lower-middle class … the sordid campaign they are running [against me] shows where you [the middle class] stand in their eyes.” Without naming anyone, he said, “They will not let you rise. They will not give you [any] opportunities.”
Making an apparent reference to politicians from opposition parties, Saeed said, “In their eyes, parliament and politics is their property. Either landlords or their children can enter it, not someone like you and I.”
Saeed said if someone echoed the voice of the people and started exposing “their corruption”, then “sordid allegations” would be made against them.
He added that when a person works for the country’s betterment, “then they believe that their monopoly is in danger. And then their social media becomes active.”
Saeed said the “campaign [against me] is to show you that you are not in a position to compete with them, challenge them.”
“This is why [they have] put up this circus. This is to warn the youth against challenging their monopoly,” he commented.
The minister had started the press briefing by building up an argument to show that there was a long struggle behind him becoming a federal minister and the “vile campaign” launched against him had no grounds.
“It was not that I woke up one morning in 2013 and made my way to parliament. I am the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) student wing and turned it into the most powerful student force in Khyber Pakhtunkhaw in a very short span,” he said, naming movements, such as the one for the restoration of the judiciary during the tenure of former military ruler retired General Pervez Musharraf, that he had participated in.
“I was beaten, jailed and threatened. But I endured it all,” he said. Saeed recalled that he had organised the structure of PTI’s student wing across Pakistan and expanded it to all union councils.
Saeed said politicians from opposition parties had targeted and personally attacked him and his family before as well, making derogatory remarks about them.
“I never spoke on the matter before,” he continued. “But I am speaking up this time around … because the certificate being awarded to my ministry was the success of every personnel of Motorway police who had embraced martyrdom to make your journey safe. It was a certificate for employees of the Pakistan Post […] and this success belonged to personnel and officers of the NHA (National Highway Authority).” “You can’t be cruel to them. You have questioned them” by objecting to the awarding of the certificate,” he said.
