Third change in top information setup over 20 months

ISLAMABAD: Syed Shibli Faraz is expected to be a different information minister in various aspects, compared to his two predecessors – Fawad Chaudhry and Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan.

Shibli Faraz defends his government and Prime Minister Imran Khan in a language strikingly dissimilar to the one that had always been hallmark of Fawad Chaudhry and Dr Awan.

The induction of Lt-Gen (R) Asim Saleem Bajwa, who also heads the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority, came out to be a surprise. However, he, as the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has a vast experience in the information field. He had also headed the Southern Command of the Pakistan Army. No reason has been given about the removal of Dr Awan as the special assistant to the prime minister on information. She used to show remarkable aggression in defending the government policies and responding to the prime minister’s political rivals. Grapevine has it for quite some time that she is being shown the exit door. Her acceptance in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rank and file has also been an issue. No PTI leader spoke in her favour on her exit.

Her fate and association with the governing party is unknown for the moment. In the past, she was affiliated with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q).

The induction of Shibli Faraz and Asim Saleem Bajwa marks the third major change in the information setup over the past twenty months.

Given the performance of Shibli Faraz in the TV talks shows, he is likely to be quite different from Fawad Chaudhry and Dr Ashiq Awan as far as taking on the political adversaries of the government is concerned. The precise reason behind the changes is not clear for now.

Shibli Faraz, son of eminent deceased poet Ahmad Faraz, also heads the Strategic Plan Oversight Committee of the Senate.

Government ministers, who commented on the changes in the TV talks shows, were of the view that they would improve the relations between the government and the print and electronic media.