-- Government decides to form Supreme Court commission to investigate vote rigging allegations
"I am leaving this for nation to ponder whether there is still any reason for protest after constitution of a commission," he asked. He said the government would protect the Constitution and law and no one would be allowed to foment anarchy in the country. Nawaz said the government would not allow anybody to give orders for carrying out murders as the nation fighting against terrorism and extremism would not allow instigation of a new spate of violence.
He further stated that no violent movement has the right to disrupt the development and throw the country into darkness, poverty and backwardness. The government would not allow the country to become a state where law of might is right prevails and urged the media to look at its role and examine whether it is being used by some elements for achieving their unconstitutional and violent agenda.
Nawaz further stated that the government would not allow anyone to instigate mischief in the disguise of religion and disrupt recently-initiated billion of rupees' development projects. The Prime Minister made it clear that a handful of people would not be allowed to make hostage the mandate of millions.
He said the government believes in democracy and peaceful protest within the parameters of Constitution and law, adding that government is ready to hold negotiations for improvement and rectification of the system. The Prime Minister added that the decision can not be taken on roads in the presence of Parliament which represents the will of 18 million people.
Nawaz stated that the government wanted to bring about reforms for 2018 election by taking on board all the political forces and a 33-member committee has already been constituted by Speaker and Chairman Senate on government's request to submit a comprehensive proposal for reforms. The government would implement unanimous recommendations for electoral reforms and would make amendments in the Constitution if required, he said, adding that electoral reforms are part of his party's manifesto.
Nawaz said that it was for the first time in the history of the country that 2013 general election were held an under election commissioner who was chosen with consensus and a caretaker set-up formed in the light of Constitutional amendment and an electoral list prepared after a detailed scrutiny and with voters' pictures that were added to the procedure for casting ballot. The Prime Minister said it was also for the first time that computerised identity cards of National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) were declared mandatory for casting vote. Additionally, he said that Supreme Court allowed judges to become returning officers in the election on the demand of those who are now alleging rigging, he said. The Prime Minister further maintained that no member of his party was inducted in the caretaker set-up at provincial or federal level. Nawaz added that the process was monitored by around 100 international and national television channels and journalists as well as 200 national and international observers. The collective opinion of all the election observers was that election was held in a transparent manner and not a single observer had made complaint of rigging in the process. The Prime Minister maintained that except a few minor complaints, 2013 general election were by and large most transparent in the history of the country.
The election results were in line with opinion polls which were conducted by national and international organisations. The process of settlement of election complaints was relatively better in the last year election as compared to past and more than 75 per cent election petitions were disposed off.
He said his party has played a democratic role despite the fact that in 2002 elections it was restricted to one and half dozens seats and the leadership was not allowed to return to the country for seven years. I with Shahbaz Shairf was disqualified and our papers were rejected in 2008 election. "We continued our election campaign with patience and played our role in the parliament," he said.
The Prime Minister said the country was facing serious challenges when his party came into power and the government accepted them as a challenge. "We were determined to complete the months' work in days and years' in months but do not claim that a miracle has taken place during the last fourteen months," he said, adding that he can state thing with confidence that country has started showing some progress. Big infrastructure projects have been initiated, economy has begun to show improvement and confidence of foreign investors was restored. GDP growth increased to 4.1 per cent, rupee stabilised and exports increased. The government signed investment agreement for 10400 MW electricity projects and 10000MW projects are in the pipeline, he added. The country has started coming out of the economic crisis. The government is going to start construction of Basha and Dasu dam to generate 4500MW and 2200 MW electricity, respectively.
He said that on one hand the government wanted to put the country on road to progress while on the other hand some elements have launched politics of protests. He said that 18 million people of the country had the right to ask from these elements to tell them as to why they have launched such protest. The Prime Minister said that Independence Day celebrations would express solidarity with the operation Zarb-e-Azab and internally-displaced persons (IDPs) of Waziristan.