Firdaus withdraws resignation on Gilani's assurance
26 December, 2011
KARACHI: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdaus Ashfiq Awan withdrew her resignation on Sunday, hours after she offered to quit, amid tensions between the government and the military over a memo alleging an army plot to seize power in May.
Dr Firdaus tendered her resignation during the 100th session of the federal cabinet held here under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.
The two held a one-on-one meeting after the cabinet meeting, following which Dr. Firdaus told reporters that the prime minister had refused to accept her resignation and assured to address all her reservations relating to the Information Ministry.
"The prime minister tore down my resignation and asked me to continue my work," Dr Firdaus told reporters after the meeting.
"I talked openly and expressed my reservations to the prime minister. I do not want to stick to a position where problems and hurdles are created in the effective running of the affairs of the ministry. Now I am satisfied. I always stand with party and leadership," Dr Firdaus added.
She also stressed upon the need for a minister to be fully empowered.
"I want a position where I can deliver, perform and give relief to people. Only fully empowered minister can perform and deliver," Awan remarked.
She questioned how a minister could deliver and perform if irrelevant officials continued to interfere in the affairs of the ministry and tried to exercise the powers of the minister. "In such a situation I can not facilitate media and my own government," she added. Dr Firdaus said she would never tolerate outsiders interfering in her ministry, adding that she needed her own team in the ministry to deliver results. She vowed to continue working to implement the vision and roadmap of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in an effective manner and to abide by the party's rules.
End.
|
