No one can dissolve assemblies, says PM
Says elections will be held on time on July 15
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. PHOTO: APP
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that no power can force the government to dissolve assemblies.
“Elections will be held on time,” he said while addressing a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) on Monday.
The CPNE delegation included Zia Shahid, Shaheen Qureshi, Ikram Sehgal, Aijaz-ul-Haq, Jameel Ather, Arif Nizami, Dr Jabbar, Wamiq Zuberi, Kazim Khan, Anwer Sajdi, Tahir Farooq, Rehmat Razi, Ayaz Khan and Ghulam Nabi Chandio.
Talking to the delegation, Premier Abbasi said, “The incumbent government will complete its tenure and elections will be held on time on July 15, 2018.”
“The bill for delimitation of constituencies should get passed, but if it is not, then the elections will be held on the previous delimitation of constituencies,” he said.
He stated the government was aware of the Indus Water Treaty. “Our position on the treaty is stern,” he added.
He said that four meetings of the core committee on Council of Common Interests had been held, in which provincial issues were discussed.
CPNE wants press act repealed
To a question that Nawaz Sharif is criticising the judiciary, he replied that Sharif had the right to express his opinion. “However, if anybody goes against the Constitution then I will take action against him,” he said.
“Sharif is my leader and a political reality. He has never advised me on any government matter. When I feel like it I contact him for an advice.”
“A leader is he who holds political gatherings in your area and wins you a seat,” he said adding that in Pakistan, “after Quaid-e-Azam and Liaquat Ali Khan; Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Sharif, Benazir and Imran Khan are the only four such leaders born”.
“Zardari has a negative vote. Pakistan Peoples Party candidates use pictures of Zulfiqar and Benazir in their election campaigns, but do not use Zardari’s pictures because they know that it will not benefit them, instead it will harm them,” he said.
“We will win the next elections on our performance and development projects,” he said, adding that “PPP cannot put forward even a single development project like ours”.
“Ministers should not talk against the judiciary,” he added.
He said that the economy of the country has been affected due to uncertainty during the last couple of months.
To a question, he rejected the rumours that the government had decided to abolish the 25% advertisement quota for local and regional newspapers. “This impression is wrong and I have ordered to strictly implement the 25% quota,” he said.
CPNE condemns media blackout
The prime minister, in a separate meeting with an All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) delegation, said that the issues raised by media organisations would be duly considered.
The APNS delegation comprised of Sarmad Ali, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami, Hameed Haroon, Ms Rameeza Nizami, Mehtab Khan, Umar Shami, Waseem Ahmed, Munir Gillani, Khushnood Ali Khan, Javed Shamsi, Haroon Shah, Syed Mumtaz Ahmed, Mumtaz Tahir, Ali Hasan, Humayun Gulzar and others. agencies
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that no power can force the government to dissolve assemblies.
“Elections will be held on time,” he said while addressing a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) on Monday.
The CPNE delegation included Zia Shahid, Shaheen Qureshi, Ikram Sehgal, Aijaz-ul-Haq, Jameel Ather, Arif Nizami, Dr Jabbar, Wamiq Zuberi, Kazim Khan, Anwer Sajdi, Tahir Farooq, Rehmat Razi, Ayaz Khan and Ghulam Nabi Chandio.
Talking to the delegation, Premier Abbasi said, “The incumbent government will complete its tenure and elections will be held on time on July 15, 2018.”
“The bill for delimitation of constituencies should get passed, but if it is not, then the elections will be held on the previous delimitation of constituencies,” he said.
He stated the government was aware of the Indus Water Treaty. “Our position on the treaty is stern,” he added.
He said that four meetings of the core committee on Council of Common Interests had been held, in which provincial issues were discussed.
CPNE wants press act repealed
To a question that Nawaz Sharif is criticising the judiciary, he replied that Sharif had the right to express his opinion. “However, if anybody goes against the Constitution then I will take action against him,” he said.
“Sharif is my leader and a political reality. He has never advised me on any government matter. When I feel like it I contact him for an advice.”
“A leader is he who holds political gatherings in your area and wins you a seat,” he said adding that in Pakistan, “after Quaid-e-Azam and Liaquat Ali Khan; Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Sharif, Benazir and Imran Khan are the only four such leaders born”.
“Zardari has a negative vote. Pakistan Peoples Party candidates use pictures of Zulfiqar and Benazir in their election campaigns, but do not use Zardari’s pictures because they know that it will not benefit them, instead it will harm them,” he said.
“We will win the next elections on our performance and development projects,” he said, adding that “PPP cannot put forward even a single development project like ours”.
“Ministers should not talk against the judiciary,” he added.
He said that the economy of the country has been affected due to uncertainty during the last couple of months.
To a question, he rejected the rumours that the government had decided to abolish the 25% advertisement quota for local and regional newspapers. “This impression is wrong and I have ordered to strictly implement the 25% quota,” he said.
CPNE condemns media blackout
The prime minister, in a separate meeting with an All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) delegation, said that the issues raised by media organisations would be duly considered.
The APNS delegation comprised of Sarmad Ali, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami, Hameed Haroon, Ms Rameeza Nizami, Mehtab Khan, Umar Shami, Waseem Ahmed, Munir Gillani, Khushnood Ali Khan, Javed Shamsi, Haroon Shah, Syed Mumtaz Ahmed, Mumtaz Tahir, Ali Hasan, Humayun Gulzar and others. agencies