Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Sunday said the democratic coalition dispensation was fully committed to holding free, fair and transparent elections on time, and ensuring continuity of the democratic order in the country.
Addressing a large gathering of Pakistani diaspora here in the UK, Ashraf said he belonged to the bourgeois class and his elevation as prime minister was reflective of the PPP’s affection and love for the common man.
“President Asif Ali Zardari transferred his powers to parliament through amending constitution and made the elected prime minister more powerful contrary to past practice when President enjoyed absolute powers,” he added. Referring to bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, the prime minister said both sides enjoyed good and stable ties which would be strengthened in the future. Lauding the role of British Prime Minister David Cameron, he said Pakistan’s access to European markets owed to him who played historic role for Pakistan in this regard. “The role of the British premier is not only positive but also pro-active with regard to Afghan issue.”
He also referred to the trilateral meeting, recently held in the UK and attended by President Zardari. “Pakistan is getting largest financial support from the UK for education in the country. There are one million overseas Pakistanis here,” he said, calling “British parliament mother of all parliaments and mother of democracy”. “Pakistan is no doubt exposed to some difficulties and challenges but hype in this record portrayed by the media is out of proportion. Challenges are everywhere even in the Europe and USA including financial crisis, unemployment and other problems and Pakistan is to share it as part of this planet,” he said.
Meanwhile, the prime minister on Sunday sent greetings to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on their National Day falling on February 11, Monday (today). “It gives me great pleasure to extend on behalf of the people and the Government of Pakistan, our warmest felicitations on the occasion of the National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
I suspect that this continuous rant of "free, fare and transparent" elections by ppp walas is not without reason and some mischief is being worked out by Zardari to delay or postpone the elections. That suits ppp in general and Zardari in particular the most.
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