News
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Decisions by 1990 government need validation: PPP* Kaira says SC verdict proved govt formed after 1990 polls was illegitimate
* Action against people involved in rigging elections after detailed judgement
ISLAMABAD: Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Wednesday the Supreme Court verdict in Asghar Khan case has proved the government installed after the 1990 elections was illegitimate and its decisions needed validation.
Talking to reporters after the federal cabinet meeting, Kaira said in the past, mandates of the PPP were stolen and martial laws were imposed through alliances such as Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI).
“There is a serious debate over the legitimacy of the then government and the issue should be resolved. There is a need to hold trial of people like Hameed Gul,” he said.
To a question he said 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, the government and parliament duly deserve credit for completion of tenures of assemblies, and a democratic transition of power will take place in the country. “By delaying the elections, all credit will become discredit,” he observed.
He said action against the people involved in the rigging of 1990 elections would be taken in the light of the Supreme Court’s detailed judgement. On any unfair play in the forthcoming election, Kaira said election would be held free and fair and a procedure in this regard had been agreed between the opposition and government.
He said the cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was given a briefing by the finance minister about the economic situation in the country. The cabinet was informed that 93 percent of its decisions from 2008-2012 have been implemented while the rest were in different stages of implementation.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik briefed the cabinet on Malala Yousufzai’s health. He said according to doctors, it would take some time for her to fully recover. As directed by the president and the PM, the Pakistan government is bearing all expenses of her treatment and the Pakistan high commissioner in the UK has been designated as Malala’s official guardian.
The finance secretary told the cabinet the federal government had implemented rigorous financial discipline and achieved a record 21 percent increase in recovery of taxes during the last four and half years. He said the overall price situation had stabilised and inflation had been capped to 8.8 percent as compared to 25 percent in October 2008.
The government has raised salaries of its employees by 115 percent during its tenure. The tax-to-GDP ratio had increased by 0.5 percent. tanveer ahmed/app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk