KARACHI: Provincial Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon said Friday that Imran Niazi’s government suppressed freedom of expression and left no stone unturned to harm journalists and the media.

Journalists who did not support its stance were tortured and many renowned anchor persons lost their jobs during previous regime, he said while addressing a luncheon of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists at Karachi Press Club. The minister said that if Imran continued in office, media persons would have tortured even more and subjected to the punishment of lashes as like Zia regime.

He said that rulers were bound to tolerate criticism, but he explained only democratically elected rules had the courage to tolerate criticism. The provincial minister said that the PPP had been subjected to unilateral criticism by the media in the past, but it had never adopted an authoritarian attitude against it. During the rule of President Asif Ali Zardari, no one was retaliated against and even no political opponent remained in jail. The PPP has always supported independence of media and participated in journalists’ movements, he added.

He said that the PPP governments had always tried to extend support to journalists who perform their duties by putting their lives at the risk. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, President Asif Ali Zardari or Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari all have advocated freedom of expression and independence of media and struggled for the betterment of journalists and journalists organization.

He added that PPP had always taken measures to improve and uplift the life of media workers. The minister welcomed the members of the Federal Union of Journalists who came from all over Pakistan and assured them that the Sindh government would implement their recommendations to create conducive working environment for them. He said that support would also be sought from coalition government at federal level to resolve journalists issues.

“We don’t just make announcements, we act upon the promises we make,” he said. He urged the various factions of the journalists organizations to unite on single platform as factions among them divide their power. He added that senior journalists should play their role in this regard. Sharjeel assured Pakistan Peoples Party’s full support wherever needed. On the current political situation, he said that the nation had been divided and national institutions were being targeted. He said that Pakistan’s current economic challenges call for nation to be united.

“I wish there should be a national dialogue in the country,” he said and added that this is not just a political statement. It is need of country to overcome the economic crises. He warned that our enemies could take advantage of our differences.