By Asim Hussain
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Division Khurram Dastgir on Tuesday said that all out efforts were being made to ensure that the 2023 general elections were free, fair, and transparent without unconstitutional interference.
Addressing a press conference here, the minister said that this year the general elections “should not be like 2018 which were manipulated”, adding that the current elections should represent the public opinion. He said the Parliament’s joint sitting had passed the resolution, the other day, stating that elections of Provincial and National assemblies should be held simultaneously across the country.
The minister stated that the Senate’s resolution reflected the reservations held by “smaller provinces” not condoning the plan to hold elections in piecemeal. “Elections for Punjab assembly having 55 percent of the total population[of the country] would influence the general elections result, he added.
He said that elections in only two provinces would “create anarchy and commotion in the country”. “There is no ambiguity in the Constitution about holding of general elections as it clearly stated that elections should be held after a fresh census and delimitation of constituencies by taking all provinces along,” he added.
He said there were many decisions of courts in this regard. Taking exception to the Supreme Court’s verdict in the suo motu notice ordering the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within 90 days and could take minimum drift to the constitutional schedule by the “barest margin, the minister said that the four other judges in their dissenting notes had declared the arbitrary “use of suo motu notice wrong”.
He stressed the need for simultaneous conduct of elections in all provinces of the country under the caretaker setups, adding that it was important for transparency as well as to take the country towards stability. In the last general elections, the PDM had secured 68 per cent votes which constituted two third of total registered votes, he added.
Khurram appealed to the Supreme Court to bring “transparency in its affairs and constitute a full court to address the constitutional crisis through collective wisdom”. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had himself stated that the decision of the full-court would be acceptable and implemented, he added.
Replying to a question, he said the power supply situation would be far better during the summer as compared to the last year due to the better management. Around 2,000 MW of electricity had been added to the system in last 11 months from local Thar coal, he apprised.
The minister said the use of local coal for power generation would also bring down the prices of electricity. Bidding for the first mega solar project would be opened on May 7, he added.
To another question, he said the “2018 elections were manipulated” and the entire nation was facing its consequences in the form of an economic crisis including a shortage of wheat, sugar and fertilizers.
To a query, the minister said record loans were borrowed during the tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf tenure and the total country’s debt stood at over Rs 51,000 billion. 90 percent increase was witnessed in the debt and liabilities of the country during the PTI’s tenure, he added.
He said despite the financial crisis, the incumbent government repaid $10 billion loan in one year.
