Former Radio Pakistan director general Murtaza Solangi on Friday announced that he will take Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry to court for “slander and falsehood” after the latter accused the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government of “appointing a taxi driver from New York” as DG of the state-owned radio station.
“Just talked to my lawyer. I am suing Fawad Chaudhry for slander and falsehood,” he tweeted.
Just talked to my lawyer. I am suing Fawad Chaudhry for slander and falsehood.
— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) September 28, 2018
On Thursday, the info minister drew ire for his comments during a session of the National Assembly:
“Radio Pakistan needs RS5.25 billion to remain functional. It is already incurring a loss of RS1.25 billion. A taxi driver from New York was appointed director-general of the company. There will be no sympathy for those who are corrupt. This country will not progress until the wrongdoers are punished.”
“ریڈیو پاکستان کو چلانے کیلئے 5ارب 25کروڑ روپے درکار ہیں
ریڈیو پاکستان کو ایک ارب 25کروڑ روپے کا خسارہ ہے
نیو یارک میں ٹیکسی چلانے والے کو ڈی جی ریڈیو لگا یا گیا
کرپشن کرنیوالوں کے ساتھ ہمدردی نہیں کی جاسکتی
بدعنوان لوگوں کو سزا دیئے بغیر ملک آگے نہیں بڑھ سکتا” – @fawadchaudhry pic.twitter.com/kM1czhhiaw— Azhar (@MashwaniAzhar) September 27, 2018
Opposition lawmakers on Thursday had briefly boycotted the NA session and staged a walkout from the House after Chaudhry called them “robbers and thieves”.
The opposition members, however, returned to the session after the minister agreed to apologise.
A day earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government withdrew its orders to lease the premises of Radio Pakistan following protests from employees.
Radio Pakistan employees had taken to the streets and threatened to march to Parliament House to protest PBC’s decision to shift the headquarters and give the existing premises on a long-term lease.
The protests had turned violent as police stopped the employees from marching towards the Parliament House and instead they started protesting in front of the PM Secretariat. The protests had been taking place since the plan was announced.