Govt committed to free, fair, transparent elections after Asghar Khan verdict
Information minister says Asghar Khan case verdict proves government installed after 1990 elections was illegitimate.
ISLAMABAD:
Pointing out that the Asghar Khan case verdict had raised important questions for the state about legitimacy of elections, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf renewed the government’s pledge that the upcoming general elections will be held in a free, fair and transparent manner, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.
Ashraf, while addressing the Cabinet meeting in Islamabad said that holding transparent elections is the right of the people and remains the coalition government’s one point agenda to hold transparent elections in the country.
Elections no later than May 10
Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, federal minister for information and broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the interim set up will take over around March 18, 2013, after the incumbent government completes its five year term, Express News reported.
He added that general elections will be held no later than 40 days after the interim set up takes over, meaning elections will be held by May 10, 2013.
To a question he said that there was baseless propaganda about delay in the coming elections as there is a free media and independent judiciary which will never allow this. Moreover, he said that the government and Parliament duly get credit for the completion of assemblies’ terms. He assured that there will be a democratic transition of power in the country.
"By delaying the elections, all credit will become a discredit", he observed.
1990 government illegitimate
Referring to the Supreme Court verdict in the Asghar Khan case, Kaira said that it has been proved that the government installed after the 1990 elections was illegitimate and its decisions need validation.
"There is a serious debate over the legitimacy of the then government and the issue should be resolved,” he said before calling for trials of all those accused in the case. “There is a need to hold trial of people like Hameed Gul."
Pointing out that the Asghar Khan case verdict had raised important questions for the state about legitimacy of elections, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf renewed the government’s pledge that the upcoming general elections will be held in a free, fair and transparent manner, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.
Ashraf, while addressing the Cabinet meeting in Islamabad said that holding transparent elections is the right of the people and remains the coalition government’s one point agenda to hold transparent elections in the country.
Elections no later than May 10
Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, federal minister for information and broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the interim set up will take over around March 18, 2013, after the incumbent government completes its five year term, Express News reported.
He added that general elections will be held no later than 40 days after the interim set up takes over, meaning elections will be held by May 10, 2013.
To a question he said that there was baseless propaganda about delay in the coming elections as there is a free media and independent judiciary which will never allow this. Moreover, he said that the government and Parliament duly get credit for the completion of assemblies’ terms. He assured that there will be a democratic transition of power in the country.
"By delaying the elections, all credit will become a discredit", he observed.
1990 government illegitimate
Referring to the Supreme Court verdict in the Asghar Khan case, Kaira said that it has been proved that the government installed after the 1990 elections was illegitimate and its decisions need validation.
"There is a serious debate over the legitimacy of the then government and the issue should be resolved,” he said before calling for trials of all those accused in the case. “There is a need to hold trial of people like Hameed Gul."