1990 election rigging: Kaira demands PML-N apologise to nation

Accuses party of sabotaging people’s mandate in 1990 elections.


October 25, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Wednesday that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) should tender an apology to the nation for sabotaging the people’s mandate in the 1990 elections.


Talking to a television channel, he said that PML-N’s deliberate manoeuvring in the past elections damaged the concept of free and fair elections and added that PML-N leadership should ask to be pardoned by the nation for their wrongdoing.

He said that Nawaz Sharif was elected as prime minister in the 1990 elections after poll rigging. Kaira said that provincial governments also emerged in the 1990 elections with the help and support of the establishment.

The information minister said that a ‘truth and reconciliation commission’ should be formed to bring the whole story before the country, and that an inquiry should be conducted in accordance with the law.

Kaira also emphasised that former premier Benazir Bhutto had been vindicated after her statements about poll rigging in the 1990 elections had proven true.

The minister said a white paper issued by Benazir regarding the poll rigging had clarified that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had nothing to do with Asghar Khan’s petition, because it was moved after they lost the elections.

Replying to a question, he said that action against involved elements would be taken in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

He said that Mian Nawaz Sharif had granted banker Younas Habib a Mehran Bank license as a gift to hatch a conspiracy against the PPP.

Kaira added that false cases had been made against PPP leaders and workers during the tenure of the past regimes. He said that the media and judiciary are now free and rigging would be far more difficult in the future.

Kaira addresses polio

The information minister also addressed on Wednesday the participants of an inauguration ceremony for the documentary “Polio victims: the spirit of survival”.

He said it is the responsibility of political and religious parties, media and all segments of society to play their role in eradicating polio. He expressed gratitude to international donor agencies for cooperating with Pakistan in eradicating polio.

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

 

COMMENTS (3)

butt jee | 11 years ago | Reply

As a matter of fact PPP leadership got much more money from Younus Habib on various occasions particularly to bribe politicians in KPK to dislodge the Sabir Shah's govt. in KPK. and also for BB's train march. PPP and PML(N) will keep on levelling allegations against each other but factually leaders of both the parties are corrupt and unscrupulous.

Parvez | 11 years ago | Reply

2008 election had large number of bogus votes and the PPP won. Who will apologise to the nation ? The nation does not require an apology, it requires a clean government capable of delivering for the people.

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