The PPP being a political force believed in continuation of political process and would never delay elections, he added. Kaira said that alliance with PML-Q will be transformed in to an electoral alliance in coming general election. He also said popularity of political parties could not be judged by the bye-elections as local issues and development projects remain focus of attention while during general election national issues are the focus.
He said that the PPP had won the seats vacated by PML-N candidates in bye-elections in recent past, which included constituencies in Gujranwala, Multan and Vehari. The minister also clarified that the alliance with the PML-Q was not for only winning elections but for ending politics of confrontation.
To a question Kaira said that when the PPP came to power in 2008, Pakistan as a state was facing serious challenges and terrorists were in control of Swat and FATA and the international community was fearing fall of Islamabad to so-called Taliban. "The PPP-led government defeated the enemies of the country with the support of the masses and armed forces. Though the war was still not over but the back of the terrorist organisations has been broken and only their splinter groups are active now."
In a 2008 there was complete mistrust among the units of the federation and the provinces were not ready to sit with the federation in National Finance Commission Award. The PPP not only paid amounts to clear outstanding dues of Khyber Pakhtunkhaw and Balochistan and a new NFC Award was finalised.
About power shortage, he said, that during the tenure of previous government not a single unit of power was added to the national grid, and the PPP inherited the power shortage issue. However, it took steps to start work on hydel power projects like Bhasha Dam, Boonji Dam and Neelam Jhelum Project. He said that government tried to reduce load-shedding by taking short term measures like Rental Power Projects, but due to litigation and court judgements the projects had to be closed.
Kaira said that the PPP government had always tried to bring structural changes in the system as the dictators in the past had changed Pakistan from a federation to centrist state with President enjoying all powers. He said the present government has empowered the provinces through the new NFC award and 70 per cent of the national resources have been shifted to the provinces, he said. He said that Kalabagh dam was a political issue and should be settled at the political level.