Sherry Rehman denies resigning from PPP

Islamabad, Mar.18 (ANI): Pakistan People Party (PPP) leader and former information minister Sherry Rehman Wednesday denied reports that she had resigned from the party.

She told newsmen that she did want to create any kind of crack in the party.

"PPP doesn't want to put any curb on media, she said, adding, she has not quit the party's position."

Rehman resigned from the federal cabinet following differences over the government's handling of the electronic media and President Asif Zardari and his close aides insistence to impose further restrictions on private news channels.

Rehman was against the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA)'s blocking of a private TV channel without taking her into confidence

Highly placed sources said last week that Rehman had a series of heated arguments with senior members of the government when some television channels were "penalised" for airing what were perceived as anti-government views during the lawyers' Long March.

They said that when Rehman failed to persuade Zardari and other members of his team and was cornered by some members who even blamed for her failure to 'control' the media, she decided to quit.

Rehman was regarded as one of the most prominent members of the federal cabinet and she had, for the past one year, single-handedly tackled the print and electronic media, sometimes in a very hostile environment.

But some members of the government had been constantly opposing her and had campaigned to dislodge her. (ANI)