Kaira urges masses to elect honest, devoted people in next election

Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Sunday urged people to elect honest and devoted people in the forthcoming general elections to bring about a real change in the country.
Addressing a gas supply inauguration ceremony near Dewaan Kot village, he said the election was around the corner and political adversaries were running propaganda against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
He assured the people that the elections would be held on time and expressed optimism that the PPP would win the next general elections on the basis of their performance.
Kaira said the survival of the country was directly linked to the democratic system and urged the people to play an active role in further strengthening democracy.
Regarding the performance of the PPP-led government during the last five years, the information minister said the government would present its case before the masses when the final date for the next elections would be set.
He said during PPP’s government, Pakistan faced internal and external challenges, including terrorism, law and order situation in Swat and Malakand, energy crisis, threat of isolation on the international front, economic recession, food crisis and floods.
Recounting the government’s achievements, he said the PPP brought all political forces to one platform and launched the operation to free Swat and Malakand from the hold of the terrorists.
“There was scarcity of flour in 2008 but with the prudent policies of the PPP, self-sufficiency was achieved in wheat production. We are now exporting wheat to other countries,” he said.
“Inflation has also been brought down from 25 percent to 8 percent,” he added.
“We added 4000 MW to the national grid, purchased land for the Bhasha dam and started work on the Neelum-Jhelum Project, he said.
The minister said the PML-N leadership must understand the fact that President Asif Ali Zardari’s office of PPP Co-Chairman was honorary.
“The PML-N must elaborate whether it wants a democratic president or a conspirator in the presidency,” he said.
He said the presidency used to be the centre of conspiracies against democratic governments in the past but President Asif Ali Zardari strengthened the democracy by relinquishing all powers to the prime minister and the parliament.
“We do not need a dictator or an autocrat president in the presidency,” he added.
“Although bad governance is the norm in Punjab, the CM is used to clamouring about good governance in the province,” he said.
Referring to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Kaira said the N-League leader must understand that one cannot become Zulfikar Ali Bhutto by mere imitation.
“In order to become Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, sacrifices need to be made,” he said.
He said the country’s economy had suffered a great loss due to the Yellow Cab project, ‘sasti roti’ scheme and the construction of ‘useless roads’.
“Over Rs 70 billion are being spent on the construction of a single road in Lahore,” he added.
Kaira said the PPP-led government had dismantled the majority of the terrorist networks in the country.
He said the government had ensured a consensus on the seventh NFC Award, introduced ‘grower-friendly policies’ and raised government employees’ salaries.
“Today, Pakistan is far more developed than it was in 2008. There should be an end to the perception-based corruption rhetoric,” he added.