At Quaid’s mausoleum: PM vows free and fair polls

Says PPP to continue politics of reconciliation.

KARACHI:

Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has said that it is the resolve of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its allies to foster the politics of reconciliation in the country.

Ashraf said that he had also stated in the Parliament that for facing successfully the challenges, “we would have to sit together to find the solution with mutual consultation.”

Energy, law and order, Karachi situation

He pointed out that the need of the hour is to improve the lot of the people as early as possible. “The energy crisis, the law and order and the Karachi situation is before us.”

Regarding the energy crisis he said, “We have started working on it and our efforts are that the people should feel that work is being done in this area.”

He said that the adviser on interior Rehman Malik has given him a briefing about law and order. “We will control the law and order situation.”

Transparent polls

The government has decided that there will be free, fair and transparent elections in the country. He said that instead of anarchy, holding of free, fair and transparent elections are in the interest of all the political parties.

Relations with US

Regarding resumption of NATO supply routes, the Prime Minister said that the Parliament is supreme and that a decision would be made in light of its decisions. “We desire having very good relations with the United States and the entire world but on the basis of equality, honour and dignity. This was our policy earlier and we will continue to follow this.”

Governor Sindh, Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan, Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Ministers Qamar Zaman Kaira, Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Khurshid Shah, Adviser to PM Rehman Malik and provincial ministers were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, 25^th, 2012.