Former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday felicitated media on repealing of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra)'s laws introduced on November 3, 2007 after imposing emergency by President Pervez Musharraf.
"I congratulate you for getting ended curbs on media," he said on a private TV channel. He said media has become more powerful than before and it would play a vital role even in making or breaking the governments in future as "it plays an important role in building public opinion."
Answering a query about reinstatement of deposed judges, he said they could not be reinstated only through passing a resolution, instead constitutional amendment will be required to reinstate them. Commenting on the coalition government at the centre, Sheikh Rashid was of the view that the alliance could not last for longer period.
He admitted that PML-Q failed to find roots in the masses in the last eight years, adding "we would have been in better position today had we represented masses' aspirations in the true sense." He also criticised the PML-Q government for supporting National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which made it possible for Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to return home country.
To another question, the seasoned politician said he had given a thirty-day period to Chaudhry brothers to bring change in their thinking to make PML-Q the party of masses. He repeated that he could form his own party. The party would be a voice of oppressed people which will create awareness about their rights and their protection.