DUBAI: Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira on Friday said that the upcoming general elections will be held on time and there was no reason to delay them.

Addressing a press conference, he said in the presence of free media, independent judiciary, active political parties and vibrant civil society no one could even think of delaying elections.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), being a political force, believed in continuation of the political process in the country and will never delay elections, said Kaira.

He said that coalition with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) will be transformed in to an electoral alliance in the polls.

Commenting on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) victory in the recent by-polls in Punjab, the minister said popularity of political parties could not be judged by bye-elections as local issues and development projects remain focus of attention during them, adding that during general elections, national issues are the focus.

He said that the PPP had won the seats vacated by the PML-N candidates in recent bye-elections, which included constituencies in Gujranwala, Multan and Vehari.

The minister also clarified that the alliance with the PML-Q was not for only winning elections but for ending politics of confrontation.

To a question, Kaira said that when the PPP came into power in 2008, Pakistan as a state was facing serious challenges and terrorists were in control of Swat and FATA and the international community feared fall of Islamabad to so-called Taliban.

“The PPP-led government has defeated enemies of the country with support of the masses and the armed forces….although the war is not over yet but the back of terrorist organisations have been broken and only their splinter groups are active now,” said the information minister.

Kaira said the PPP government had always tried to bring structural changes in the system as the dictators in the past had deformed the country from a federation to centrist state with the president enjoyed absolute authority.

Commenting on Kalabagh dam issue, he said that it was a political issue and should be settled through ‘politics.’

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Why fooling self or nation or both?

Time and again we hear from different mouths right from President to down below both within Pakistan and overseas hat next general elections in Pakistan will be held on time but one way or the other none has given any date as such as to when it happen. They all very emphatically and categorically maintain that under all circumstances the elections will be on time and there will be no delay whatsoever but it looks to be nothing more than a hollow claim because there is some logistics involved in conduction election which is missing till this time so how elections can be held on time? The incumbent National Assembly was convened in late March 2008 and Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani took oath as PM on 23^rd for 5 years term which ends on 22^nd March, 2013 which is another few weeks away in any case and nothing has been done on ground to transfer the power to the new elected members on the due date.

Let me just very hurriedly go through the steps namely submission of contestants’ candidature, checking of the candidature, allotment of election symbols, printing of ballot papers, establishment of electoral booths, conduction of election, announcement of the results, convening of assembly inaugural session and members taking oath etc are the basic steps required to be taken to transfer power from the present set up to the future set up. Will Zardari or even Kaira who spoke on the subject in Dubai just yesterday Fri 7^th Dec 2012 tell me at least if not the nation as to what action will be taken and on what date ensuring that transfer of power to new sets up is not delayed even an hour what to talk of a day? Muslims as far I am taught only speak the truth and they do not tell lies in any case otherwise they commit a sin which entails very serious divine punishment. Zardari and Kaira are not only Muslims but very staunch Muslims better than most of us so they must spell out their election plan on oath so that that the dust settles down once for all.