Special Assistant to Prime Minster on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Monday said that approval of budget was a constitutional obligation and the opposition was trying to create hurdles in the constitutional path. In a tweet, the SAPM said that approval of budget was need of the country and the masses, and added that working of institutions was linked to approval of the budget from parliament. Earlier, in an interview, Dr Firdous said that both Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) were responsible for the problems being faced by the country and its citizens. “It is our desire to engage with the opposition and steer the country out of challenges,” she said. Separately, addressing a press conference at the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) office, flanked by PEMRA Chairman Saleem Baig and its Executive Member Ashfak Jumani, she said that PML-N leader Khawaja Asif who was wanted by the National Accountability Bureau was commenting on the performance of ministers. Terming him as Iqama Asif, she advised him to go to NAB and give explanation for the lifestyle beyond income allegations. She stated that “Railu katey” from politics were trying to survive on borrowed oxygen cylinders, as they had gone to Raiwind for borrowing cylinders. She made it clear that despite all pressure, Prime Minister Imran Khan would never budge from his principled stance and would never open backdoor channels for providing them any relief. She lamented that the opposition had started making personal attacks on the prime minister who was an honest person and even opposition could not accuse him of corruption. She said that Imran Khan during the SCO summit in Bishkek was the centre of attraction while Indian counterpart Narendra Modi was sidelined like the 12th man in cricket terminology. She said that the nation had great expectations from Imran, who would never let them down. She said that the opposition parties during their rule totally ruined the national economy and now they were wondering as to how it had started improving. She said that differences in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz were becoming clear, and before launching agitations, they should first overcome internal differences. The SAPM said that it was strange that a gang that was involved in loot and plunder of national resources for 10 years was asking the government to be accountable for the present situation. She was of the view that newly born political leadership could not create any problems for the PTI government. To a question, she said that issuance of production orders of detained members was prerogative of the speaker and the government had nothing to do with it. If the production orders of detained legislators were issued, the government would make arrangements for their arrival in the session, she added. She said that now the PML-N leadership was calling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari a political prisoner, while they themselves kept him in jail for several years. Earlier, briefing the media on the decisions in the meeting chaired by her at the PEMRA, she said it decided to establish media tribunals for speedy disposal of cases related to the media. A summary had been moved for this purpose, besides the modification of PEMRA rules to include social media in its domain, launch of direct-to-home system and digitalisation of cable network, in addition to organising capacity-building workshops the media professionals, she added. She informed that the PEMRA had received 187 applications for new television channels, while it approved auction of 58 licences for satellite TV channels. The PEMRA had offered 70 satellite TV licences in seven categories – eight in news & current affairs, 16 in entertainment, five in sports, two in agriculture, 12 in regional languages, four in health and 11 in education and tourism. She said that news & current affairs category channels brought the highest bid of Rs 283.5 million, which proved that there was potential in the market, and with the launch of new channels thousands of job opportunities would be created. She said that the PEMRA had also issued three licences for DTH, which would improve the quality of programmes.