PM Abbasi calls for free, fair general elections

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday reiterated call for free and fair generation elections and said the government desired that the elections should be held on time.

Addressing the awards distribution ceremony of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), he expressed concern that there should not be a repeat of what happened in Balochistan and the Senate elections.

Speaking about freedom of press, the premier said the PML-N government made a firm pledge not to resort to coercion or pressure tactics against media. In the past, IB secret funds to the tune of billions of rupees were spent annually but the present government has not spent even a rupee from the secret fund for any purpose, he claimed.

He said criticism apart, it is also responsibility of media to project achievements of the government and measures aimed at welfare of the masses. He said such policies and steps should also get projection through positive and objective news reports besides advertisements.

Abbasi said censorship has become useless in the age of social media and other sources of dissemination of information but there is definitely need for self-regulation by media.

He desired formation of a committee to analyze media related issues and come out with recommendations for reforms in media. He said free and fair media is as important as free and fair elections.

He said despite constitutional and other challenges and hurdles, the PML-N government continued on the path to progress.

Abbasi referred to completion of Lowari tunnel during the present government’s tenure at a cost of 28 billion rupees despite the fact that the project was initiated by late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto forty years ago.