Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday said that caretaker setup would take over the reins of government after March 18 and general elections will be held as per scheduled. Talking to media persons he said the consensus caretaker setup would be finalized before mid March, if not the decision of Election Commission in this regard will prevail.
The government does not want to destroy its good deeds of last four and half years by delaying elections and such rumours are being spread by the opposition, he alleged. "Delaying elections is not possible in the presence of independent judiciary, vibrant media and civil society. Opposition is spreading such rumours to pre-empt its looming defeat," he observed.
Criticising Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership, he said the PPP had not compromised on principles despite having troubles in past while the Sharifs had preferred inking a ten years exile agreement with General Musharraf to save their skins. To a question he said the government does not believe in victimising its opponents. One can not pinpoint even a single example of political victimisation during the last four and half years.
In comparison, Punjab government was busy in victimising its political opponents. He referred the registration of cases against a PPP MPA Shaukat Basra in this regard. To another question he said, the members of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) have accepted the nomination of Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo as their provincial president. Some PPP workers have reservations about the alliance with PML-Q, however, this is not an issue in such a big political party. He urged the institutions to work within their limits.