Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Sunday said that the dates for elections and dissolution of assemblies would be announced within ten days.
Briefing media persons about a meeting of the government dialogue committee with Tehrik Minhajul Quran chief Dr Tahirul Qadri here at Minhajul Quran Secretariat, Kaira said it was agreed that legal cover would be provided to the Islamabad Long March Declaration through legislation.
He said a consensus would be developed between the coalition government and the Awami Tehrik on names of the caretaker prime minister and chief ministers.
However, consensus on the issue of dissolution of the Election Commission could not be evolved in the dialogue. “The Constitution will be followed for the caretaker setup by developing consensus with the opposition separately,” he added.
He said a committee was constituted to discuss the dissolution of the Election Commission and it had submitted its recommendations to the Law Minister. “ According to the committee’s recommendations, the dissolution of Election Commission is not possible constitutionally,” he added.
Kaira said the caretaker setup would be established according to the law and Constitution.
Replying to a question, he said the Election Commission would become active just after the announcement of election date.
He said Dr Qadri had objected to the release of funds to the elected representatives. Since the Parliament exists and several projects are in progress, so technically it is not possible for the Prime Minister to stop release of funds right now, he added.
Kaira said the Federal Government could not intervene in the matters of provinces, which were autonomous according to the Constitution.
The Information Minister said the coalition partners of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) would stand by Dr Qadri after the announcement of election schedule on the funds issue.
Answering another question, Kaira said Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar was a respectable person, but his point of view was usually different from that of his party leadership, so the government would hold talks with PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif. The role of opposition is explained in the Constitution, he added.
Replying to a query, he said the nation wanted holding of election of natioanl and provincial assemblies on the same date and the government would try to develop consensus in this regard.
The decision regarding holding next meeting with Dr Qadri will be taken on January 31, he added.
Earlier addressing the newsmen, TMQ chief Dr Tahirul Qadri said legal cover would be given to the declaration after which those, who called it just a piece of paper, would stop saying this.
Qadri demanded ceasing of discretionary funds, which he said should be used for providing subsidy to the people on electricity, gas and other utilities. He also demanded ceasing of legislators’ funds right from today in a bid to hold elections in a transparent manner.
Ch Shujaat, Amin Fahim, Farooq Sattar, Khursheed Shah, Babar Ghauri, Abbas Afridi, Pervez Elahi and Mushahid Hussain Syed were also present on the occasion. (APP)
