PM's press talk was never to be aired live, clarifies Marriyum Aurangzeb

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb criticised on Friday media reports based on “unnamed sources” and clarified the rumours surrounding Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s press talk on Monday.

“I would have issued a statement on the matter if PTV had deleted the footage,” the information minister said while speaking outside an accountability court.

Aurangzeb’s comments came in response to media reports that PM Abbasi’s press conference after the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting had been censored and was thus not aired by any news channel.

Following an emergency NSC meeting after former premier Nawaz Sharif’s comments on 2008 Mumbai attacks, Abbasi was expected to hold a press conference and senior journalists had been invited.

However, the information minister clarified, “It was never supposed to be a press conference.”

“It was my decision and senior journalists were invited to the PM House for a press talk,” she added.

Dismissing rumours as to why the press talk was not aired, Aurangzeb said, “The press talk was not ever to be aired live.”

“Cameras were not allowed during the talk,” she further upheld.

Criticising media reports that are published based on “unnamed sources”, Aurangzeb said, “Reports are being run in the media based on sources and if the media had asked me I would have clarified the issue.”

“Source-based news reports have been running for last three days so I also let them run,” she concluded.