RAWALPINDI June 24, (APP): Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid said Friday that in civilized world decisions are made through ballot and not by violent agitation on the streets.
Speaking to journalists here at a Sehri event, organized at Rawalpindi Press Club, the minister advised opposition to wait till 2018 and at the time of elections go to the people of Pakistan with their list of allegations against the government.
PML-N would come before the people with the list of its services for Pakistan, he said adding then the people would decide whether they accept the opposition’s list of allegations or acknowledge the services of PML-N.
He said the government was building power plants to meet the
energy needs of the country. By the end of 2017, many of these power
plants would start generating electricity which would increase
industrial production, create new jobs and bring prosperity into the
lives of people.
Pervaiz Rashid said the country was already generating record
level of electricity, adding new hydel, coal and gas based power
projects were under construction and would start generating power to
overcome the present shortfall of 3000 to 4000 megawatts.
He said those people who could not compete with Nawaz Sharif
in elections, wanted to create chaos in the country.
People voted for Nawaz Sharif due to his services for the country,
he added.
He said opposition should desist from creating chaos on roads
as it would slow progress of Pakistan and hurt the government’s
efforts to overcome energy shortage by end of 2017.
He said if progress of the country was stopped by any means it would be a loss for the people of Pakistan and it might obstruct government’s efforts to meet energy needs by building more power plants.
He said those who wanted progress of Pakistan and those who
desired free press waged the same kind of struggle.
The minister said dictatorial rules caused irreversible damage
to the country. Due to these dictatorships, Pakistan was dismembered
and the culture of Kalashnikov and menace of terrorism spread in the
country. When press was in chains, democracy was also locked in
Pakistan, he added.
The minister said free media and democracy go hand in hand and
in the presence of free media, nobody can derail democracy.
Political workers struggled for democracy while journalists overcame
difficulties to ensure a free press.
He said that future of next generation was linked with democratic system and a developed Pakistan.
Now democracy and free press were getting strong in Pakistan,
he remarked. Democracy and free press strengthened each other and
these two should be linked to the prosperity of Pakistan, he said
adding free press and democracy safeguard and protect each other.
It was responsibility of journalists to counter those voices which ask what democracy had given to Pakistan, he stressed.
Pervaiz said, “It is responsibility of us all to strengthen the relations of democracy, press, Parliament, political workers and journalists.”
Strong democracy and free press had created a ray of hope in
the eyes of people of Pakistan, he added.
Talking about death of Qawwali maestro Amjad Sabri, he said
Pakistan lost a beautiful son who was known the world over for his
craft.
“Those who took away Amjad Sabri from us were born in the
periods of dictatorship.”
The minister said there were difficulties, but the present government had been taking steps to overcome problems.
The minister said opponents wanted to slow down projects of
power plants and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and
decrease pace of progress of the country to stop Pakistan Muslim
League (N) from winning the next general election.
Pervaiz Rashid said it was media’s responsibility to inform people of Pakistan about prevailing circumstances.
The minister said opinion of people was the biggest accountability
of the political leadership.
In the last 65 years, the slogan of accountability was raised
to take revenge from opponents, he said adding now again the slogan
of accountability was raised for revenge. He said it was right of the
people to get a better future for themselves.
The minister said Pakistan would emerge as a better, brighter and progressing country in the year 2018 due to efforts of the government.
He appreciated National Press Club for organizing family festival for media persons and hoped such activities would continue in future too.
Senator Tanveer Khan, Dr Jamal Nasir, Sardar Naseem, senior
journalists Haneef Khalid and Haji Nawaz Raza, President National
Press Club Shakeel Anjum, Secretary General Imran Yaqub Dhiloon,
Afzal Butt, Farooq Faisal Khan and Bilal Dar were also
present on the occasion.
