Defeat in Cantt elections: Imran should apologise for misguiding masses: Rashid

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid on Sunday said that the results of cantonment boards election was a reflection of masses' confidence in present government, and also urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan to apologize the nation for 'misguiding' masses. Talking to reporters after addressing a concluding ceremony of five-day Book Festival organized by National Book Foundation, he maintained that elections in cantonment boards and their results have endorsed that the 2013 general elections were free, fair and transparent.
He said that another phase of elections had completed in a peaceful and democratic manner and people cast their votes on their own free will. "As far result of the cantonment boards' election is concerned, we think it was the reflection of the masses' confidence in the policies of the PML-N government and its leadership," he said, adding in these elections the masses repeated the decision they gave in the general elections. "There were no General Kayani, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi, MI Brigadier and ROs in the Saturday's elections", he said while referring to PTI's allegations of rigging in the May 2013 general elections.
He said that the PML-N achieved more than 50 percent success in Punjab, which is reflection of people's confidence in the performance of the federal and Punjab governments. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the minister maintained that people did not endorse the PTI mandate and the provincial government's performance, urging Imran Khan to apologize the nation for misguiding the masses from "container". "Imran Khan should apologize to the masses and tell them that he had fallen prey to misunderstanding," he said, adding the PTI chief should also apologize allegedly for attacking democracy, parliament, PTV headquarters, stopping the pace of development work and delaying the visits of several foreign dignitaries including the Chinese President. However, he said that his party has forgiven the PTI leadership for using 'derogatory' language against the party leadership. "The results of the cantonment boards election have exposed the lies hurled from the 'container' used by Imran Khan during his anti-government campaign last year," he said, adding that results was also a 'certificate of authentication' by the masses of the 2013 general elections. To a question about the by-election in NA-246, Karachi by-elections, Pervez Rashid said that the people of Karachi punished the PTI for adopting wrong politics. Earlier, addressing the ceremony, Pervaiz Rashid urged the intellectuals, literary persons and poets to use their pen for promotion harmony, tolerance and peace in society. He said that intellectuals can enlighten minds of young generation to eradicate terrorism and extremism.