LAHORE:Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammed Sarwar said on Friday that the opposition was proving to be an obstacle in the conduct of free and fair elections in future, as it was opposing the electoral reforms.
Addressing the media after inaugurating the tree plantation drive here, he said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was working with sincerity to make the next elections fair and free.
Governor Sarwar said that the government was inviting all political parties to sit together on the matter of electoral reforms from day one, but the opposition was not ready to hold dialogue with the government on this important issue, adding that still there was time, and the opposition should talk to the government to make the next elections transparent.
He said that fingers had been raised on every election held in Pakistan so far, but the PTI government wanted to make the next elections totally transparent so that even the losing candidate could not object to its transparency. He reiterated that other than electronic machines, there was no option for transparent elections.
Ch Sarwar said: “We have told the opposition time and again that the government was not scared of their long march and threats of protest.” The government was not going anywhere before 2023, he added. The elections would be held on time and people would decide with the power of their vote that which party they wanted to form the next government, he added.
Governor Sarwar said that the whole world was appreciating the Clean and Green Programme of Pakistan, which was started under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the way the PTI government launched the plantation drives was unprecedented. Every citizen should fulfill his duty by participating in the plantation drive, he added.
Ch Sarwar said that public-private partnership was very important for progress of the country. He said that the PTI government had saved Pakistan from economic bankruptcy. Due to the GSP plus status, Pakistan had got benefit of $24 billion so far, he said adding that the doors of Governor’s House were open on the business community and the government was striving to solve their issues on priority basis.