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Lahore: Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid said on Wednesday that history of NA-122 was against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf as its Chairman has thrice lost election from this constituency prior to 2013 general polls.
Talking to media after attending a seminar on tourism here, the minister said he would not comment on the result of Lahore bye-elections due on October 11, but Imran Khan should remember that in 1997 he lost to PML-N candidate Tariq Aziz by heavy margin. Imran Khan bagged only 1700 votes while PML-N candidate got over hundred thousand votes. In 2002 elections, when the PML-N leadership was in prisons, and Imran was free to campaign; he was defeated by Ayaz Sadiq.
“Not only the PML-N leadership was in jails, but there was ban on their pictures and speeches in the media while Imran had the patronage and support of the then ruler Pervez Musharraf. But still he faced humiliating defeat at the hands of PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq.
He recalled that once the armoured vehicles used to transport PML-N leaders. But now armoured vehicles would carry ballot boxes and Tiger would roar when the boxes would be opened.
The minister said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership does not use derogatory language as it was a civilized party and he has not heard any party leader or worker abusing PTI Chairman Imran Khan in NA-122 campaign. On the contrary, he said not only abusive language was being used
against PML-N leadership but its developmental works like Metro Bus projects
were also being criticized without any justification. He said PTI Chairman Imran Khan should shun his negative attitude and use political language as there should be decency in the election campaign.
To a question about federal minister’s involvement in election campaign in NA-122 constituency, he said, they are workers of a political party and had the right to campaign in their personal capacity.
The minister said as per election commission rules, ministers were not allowed to use government resources in the campaign, and no minister was using public funds or resources. Moreover, now the High Court decision has come which allows ministers to campaign in personal capacity.
“If Imran Khan who is ruling a province can campaign, I also have the right to campaign for my party candidate,” the minister said emphatically.
Answering a question, he said Pakistan has taken concrete steps to eliminate terrorists and the entire world has appreciated it.
The minister said, Afghanistan is a brotherly country and Pakistan would never allow anybody to use its soil against any other country.”In Pakistan we have a law under which anybody using our soil against any other country would lose citizenship.”He categorically rejected the allegation of interference in
Afghanistan from Pakistan saying the people living across the Durand Line are our brothers.
Rather than issuing statements in media, Kabul should approach Islamabad through diplomatic channels if it had any issues and Pakistan would listen to them, he said. PIA flights operation, he said, was going on as per schedule as he himself went to Lahore yesterday and returned here today (Wednesday) by PIA plane.
The minister said some elements tried to disrupt smooth operation of PIA flights but the management has made alternate arrangements as the plan was to save the passengers from problems. He said both PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills were incurring heavy losses and their matters would be resolved in accordance with the vision and privatization policy of Prime Minister. Recently, the government provided Rs 16 billion bail out package to PSM.
About Mina stampede, he said Saudi government had made very good Hajj arrangements but it was an accident and both Saudi and Pakistani governments played positive role after the incident.He said our Religious Affairs Minister was still in Saudi Arabia and Prime Minister has announced a package for victims of the Mina stampede.
About dengue fever cases in Rawalpindi, he said the government is striving to overcome the disease and best facilities were being provided to the patients.He said Pakistan’s record against dengue fever was far better than many other countries and Punjab government’s performance was far better than the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
The minister said, PTDC was facing financial problems as in the past additional manpower was hired on political grounds and its resources were badly misused.He said the present management of the corporation was striving hard to steer it out of crisis and make financially viable institution.
Earlier addressing the seminar on tourism, he said the government would take all possible steps to promote Pakistan as most attractive destination for tourists across the world.He said Pakistan has the land, environment, weather and the hosts who can be source of attraction for tourists across the world.
The minister said unfortunately some 30 years ago world powers pushed the region into an armed conflict and the people were afraid of coming out of their homes. But now, thanks to the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, Pakistan has become more safe and secure as our armed forces rendered unprecedented sacrifices in this war.
He said in the past countless children who should have pens and brushes in their hands were given suicide jackets and the entire nation paid its price.He said he can assure the new generation that the PML-N government would give a far better and safer Pakistan in 2018 as it was handed over to it in 2013.
The minister said those criticizing PML-N development projects were immature politicians and time has come for them to be mature. The elements opposing the Metro actually wanted to divide the society.
Earlier, the minister inaugurated an exhibition of photographs of tourist sites in the country.
