LAHORE(National Times)- Punjab lawmaker Hina Parvez Butt on Thursday defended herself after a social media post by her regarding an alleged encounter by Punjab\u2019s Crime Control Department prompted outrage and criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Wednesday, a suspect accused of running over a teenage boy who worked for him with his car in a private housing society in Multan, was killed in an alleged encounter in Bahawalpur. The killing of the teenager, Waseem, had sparked anger among the public, with a police officer saying the he had been \u201csubjected to barbarity\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is [Punjab Chief Minister] Maryam Nawaz sahiba\u2019s government; justice is served immediately,\u201d Butt subsequently wrote on X, sharing screengrabs of a TV report regarding the alleged encounter. She later deleted the post after it was widely panned for \u201ccelebrating extrajudicial killings\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a video statement posted on X on Thursday, Butt said: \u201cI posted a tweet in which I said, \u2018This is Maryam Nawaz Sharif sahiba\u2019s government; justice is served immediately\u2019. This was my personal opinion and creating propaganda on this was uncalled for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said that the post was meant to express the \u201cfeelings of an ordinary citizen\u201d. She asserted that she did not \u201cblame\u201d the chief minister, the Punjab government or talk about any institution. She said that criticising her for this was \u201cuncalled for\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She also took exception to remarks by Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, saying that she \u201crespectfully disagreed\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Wednesday night, Bokhari had appeared on Geo News programme \u2018Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ke Saath\u2019, where she was asked about Butt\u2019s post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Punjab minister said that Butt had a habit of saying things without thinking them through, which caused problems for her and become a \u201csource of embarrassment for the government\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to the remarks, Butt said: \u201cNone of my actions or words have ever harmed or embarrassed the Punjab chief minister or the government. If Azma Bokhari sahiba is feeling embarrassed, that is her personal choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t feel that anyone should be embarrassed [at] anything I tweeted on my social media account. Azma Bokhari is the [Punjab] government\u2019s official spokesperson, so obviously she clarified the government\u2019s policy, which is good. But, I think her remarks on me were unnecessary and uncalled for,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo I would again, respectfully, disagree with her,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to recent incidents involving minors and the youth in the country, she said that their parents should be called on shows and asked how those who subjected their offspring to \u201csavagery\u201d should be treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI believe I have stated public sentiment and what is the people\u2019s voice. Those coming forward to defend the culprits do not meet the families whose children\u2019s bodies are recovered in a bad state. I meet such parents,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo any person who has even a bit of humanity in their heart, what will they have felt when they heard about Waseem from Multan?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CCD, established last year, has been criticised by human rights advocates and civil society members for a high number of casualties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) alleged earlier this year that the CCD has adopted a \u201cdeliberate policy of staged police encounters leading to extrajudicial killings\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, the department termed the claims as unfounded and contrary to the department\u2019s operational framework.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE(National Times)- Punjab lawmaker Hina Parvez Butt on Thursday defended herself after a social media post by her regarding an alleged encounter by Punjab\u2019s Crime Control Department prompted outrage and criticism. On Wednesday, a suspect accused of running over a teenage boy who worked for him with his car in a private housing society in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n