ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz on Saturday said that the opposition is trying to make election of Senate chairman and his deputy controversial.

While addressing the media, he said the opposition parties have obstructed the government's legislation in the Upper House in the last two-and-a-half years.

He said the elections were held in a free, fair and transparent manner. Referring to the Pakistan Democratic Movement's plans for a long march, he said they may go ahead with it, but would not get any support from the masses.

Faraz said that it is the first time in history that a candidate from a tribal district was elected as Senate deputy chairman.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan integrated Fata. It was not an easy task," Faraz said, adding that the premier has been making hectic efforts for quite long to do something for neglected areas in the past.

He said there was previously no majority in Senate and important reforms could not be made as there were obstacles.

The country was mired in debt, institutions were paralyzed, the minister said, adding that the same people have been ruling for 30 years.

Faraz termed the government's victory in Senate chairman and deputy chairman elections as the defeat of a system which has been "harming the country for the last 30 years as well as those who doubted our intentions."

He said people did not prosper and assets of the rulers increased, adding since the country cannot afford to regress now, it is necessary that we support the prime minister.

"Those who want progress for the country have won," he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021