ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid said on Sunday that Saturday's local body polls in cantonment boards had exposed the lies spoken on the container by PTI chief.
"We are thankful to the people of these areas as their decision in these polls have validated transparency of general election held in 2013," he said while talking to the media here at Pak-China Friendship Centre after attending the closing ceremony of 6th National Book Festival as chief guest.
The minister said that people of cantonment boards had reiterated their decision of 2013, when they elected Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with heavy mandate. "In these polls there was no General Kayani, no (chief justice) Iftikhar Chaudhry, no (acting chief minister) Najam Sethi and no ROs, but the result remained the same. If they had influenced general election, the results in local body elections should have been different now," he added.
He said that PTI chief Imran Khan should again stand at his container, but this time, to apologize to the nation for attempting to mislead them for around two years and impeding the country's development. He asked Imran to also disclose the names of those on whose advice he had been betraying the nation.
"You (Imran Khan) have been using inappropriate language against us, but we forgive you for that. But as you tried to mislead the nation, attacked the Parliament and PTV, you should come up with an apology," he maintained.
He said that the important visits of Chinese President, Qatar's Amir and Sri Lankan President could not take place last year due to sit-ins in the capital. "The development phase which was about to start in August last year, was delayed due to these sit-ins."
Pervaiz Rashid said that in LB polls in cantonment boards, people punished PTI for its negative politics. "PML-N's success rate in LB polls in cantonment boards in Punjab has remained over 50%, which means people of Punjab have reposed full confidence in the Punjab and federal governments. Whereas, PTI got just 33% success in KPK, which shows majority of the people in the province have rejected its policies," he added.
He said that in LB polls in cantonment areas PML-N had emerged country's only leading party, having representation in all the four provinces. He said PML- N's victory in the LB polls also provided evidence to the judicial commission on the transparency of the general election.
He said owing to the restriction by the Election Commission, no minister visited the cantonment areas for electioneering. He said in the constituencies that remained under fire by the PTI leadership, people turned up overwhelmingly during the local body polls and voted out the PTI's candidates as well as their supporters. The PTI also faced defeat in Khawaja Asif and Khawaja Saad Rafique's constituencies in LB polls. This shows its (PTI) allegations on general election in these areas were baseless, he added.
He said by electing the PML-N candidates in the LB polls, the people had given the message to Imran Khan to tender an apology.
The minister said it must be a moment of thought for Imran Khan that he had faced defeat in the constituencies where the people had elected his candidates in 2013 poll.
The minister expressed deep shock over the devastation caused by the massive earthquake in Nepal and said that the government and people of Pakistan fully shared the grief of Nepalese people. He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had called his Nepalese counterpart and expressed solidarity with him and offered all kind of help in this hour trial. He said medical wing of Pakistan Army had already reached Nepal and was providing necessary medical assistance to people there.
Earlier, speaking at the closing ceremony of National Book Festival, the minister lauded the efforts of National Book Foundation (NBF) for promoting book reading culture in the country. He said that the Festival provided a message of peace, love and brotherhood in the country.
He said literary figures were an asset of the nation and educational institutions should open up their doors for them, requesting them to help promote tolerance and forbearance in the society.
He said literary icons through their work could play an effective role in eliminating extremist thoughts and eliminating terrorism. -Reuters
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