LAHORE: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday rejected the propaganda of international media regarding appointments in the armed forces.
When the time comes, the decision regarding the appointments will be taken, he added.
Responding to questions of reporters at the launching ceremony of a book by veteran journalist Saeed Aasi here at the Quaid-e-Azam Library, he said that international media was fond of spreading rumours about Pakistan.
Regarding the appointment of Chairman National Accountability Bureau, he said that consultations between Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition Syed Khurshid Shah were underway. The government had taken the political forces on board regarding the NAB Chairman, who would be appointed soon.
About power-theft, the Information Minister said that the government had launched an operation against the thieves. He said that 'Smart Meters' would be installed at all the grid stations in order to control power theft and their incharges would be accountable for the electricity consumed as per the record of meters.
Earlier spaeking at the book launching ceremony, the minister said that the government was trying its best to overcome energy crisis, strengthen infrastructure and make a peaceful and stable Pakistan despite the problems inherited from the previous regimes. He said that the raise in electricity prices was meant to charge those, who consumed over 700 units per month and it would not effect the consumers using upto 200 units.
Had thermal power plants not been installed in 1996, electricity cost would not have been so high, he added.
The minister said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government had initiated hydel projects to produce cheap electricity, such as Neelum-Jhelum Hydel Project.
He said that the Pakistan Peoples Party government had closed its eyes to terrorism, power load-shedding and its cost.
Referring to the book's title 'Kab Raaj Karegi Khalq-e-Khuda', Pervaiz Rashid said that the recent election in the country was a proof of the empowerment of masses, who elected their representatives through ballot.
The Information Minister said that Pakistan was created through the power of the masses. A government should come and go through vote and the country is affected by negation of this principle, he added.
Pervaiz said that for the first time in the democratic history of the country the parliament and the government had completed their terms.
He said that the government formed with the power of gun created problems and the situation in Karachi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan was proof of it.
He said that the recent general election depicted accountability by the masses as a political party was rejected due to its mistakes.
He said that the government was in awe that the rule of the masses had started and the same could be the fate of present government if it failed to deliver and could not come upto their expectations.
"What can be a more pertinent example of the rule of the people than the fact that the corrupt rulers would be sent packing by the voters in the election," he added.
The minister said that it was a prerequisite of democracy that governments should come and go through ballot, but this principle was mocked during the last 65 years as the country had to face dictatorial regimes.
He said that the PML-N government had been doing its best to get the country out of all the crises. It cut down government expenses by 30 percent soon after assuming charge, he added.
The minister lauded the services of veteran journalist, poet and intellectual Saeed Aasi for the cause of democracy and strengthening journalistic values. He also acknowledged his long relationship with him.
Former foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, PPP leader Munir Ahmed Khan, columnists, anchors, intellectuals and politicians including Syed Anwar Qidwai, Zafar Ali Raja, Rauf Tahir, Mehmood Ali Gilani, Quyyum Nizami, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mehnaz Rafi and Saleem Bokhari underlined various aspects of the life and works of Saeed Aasi.
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