Social media campaign against PM, wife leaves minister in tears

Ijaz Shah calls campaign 'unprecedented'

Samaa Web Desk Feb 15, 2022

The weekly meeting of federal cabinet Tuesday saw unusual scenes when Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Brig (retd) Ijaz Shah couldn't control his emotion over the slanderous social media campaign against Prime Minister Imran Khan and his family members.

Since Saturday, rumours have been making rounds on Twitter of dispute between PM Khan and First Lady Bushra Imran and the latter’s departure to Lahore. However, SAMAA TV's Zahid Gishkori says that contrary to the rumours the first lady has been in Islamabad for the past one week and never went to Lahore.

During the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the prime minister expressed his displeasure over the issue. The entire cabinet spoke at length when the social media campaign against the first lady was discussed in the meeting.

Ijaz Shah couldn’t control his emotions and his tears well up in his eyes. He said that the trends gravely pained him and that he had been the head of the Intelligence Bureau but never witnessed such campaign against any elected prime minister.

He said that the personal attacks against the prime minister and his family are not reflective of a cultured society.

Source have said that the ministers demanded strict legislation to regulate social media.

Kalabagh Dam

Other inside story of the cabinet also revealed that the cabinet has rejected a proposal from Water Resources Minister Moonis Ilahi on Kalabagh Dam.

The minister had proposed to form a cabinet’s committee on the construction of Kalabagh Dam.

However, other ministers reasoned that the time is not right for such a move as there are elections coming up in Sindh where there is a strong resistance to the dam.

The Kalabagh Dam, which was first announced in 1953, is a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Indus River at Kalabagh in Mianwali.

Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan assemblies have passed several resolutions, condemning Kalabagh Dam. The debate on the project has been going on for more than 20 years.