Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Sunday said Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) believed in democratic norms and fighting for upholding the democratic principles as well as ethical values.
Addressing a press conference here, the minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan believes in the politics of principles and hence he decided to get a fresh vote of confidence though legally there was no need for it. The National Assembly reposed confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Imran khan with even more votes than the 2018, he stated.
The minister said opposition parties especially the Pakistan Democratic Movement believe in politics of self-interest, bullying and sale and purchase of loyalties and they had damaged the entire social, economic and political system during the past four decades. He said some of the opposition leaders entered into politics in 1985 party-less elections and introduced the culture of bribery and horse trading to come to power.
Shibli Faraz said due to the political approach of the past rulers, the country faced severe challenges which added to the sufferings of masses whereas they plundered national wealth and built properties not only inside Pakistan but in Europe and other parts of the world. They turned politics into business and used it for self-interest and not for the interest of country, said the minister.
He said the PTI has gradually emerged on the political horizon of the country and in the 2013 election it formed government in KPK, adding that due to its good performance people showed their confidence on it and PTI came into power in 2018 with masses’ support. Now after the Senate election, it has become the single largest party in both the National Assembly and Senate having representation in all four provinces as people have supported its ideology of ending the status quo. He said in last general elections people rejected the politics of self-interest and the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz have been confined to only one province each.
He said the narrative of opposition parties changes with the situation and if they win the elections, they term it as free and fair elections. In the case of defeat, they start hue and cry by alleging rigging in elections. The information minister vowed to continue to struggle against the elements which socially, economically and democratically damaged the country.
He said the PDM candidate won the Senate elections from Islamabad not on merit but through unfair means for which they did not deserve any credit. He said they want to come to power to restart the ugly business of loot and plunder and wanted to get relief in corruption cases but they would not get it as Prime Minister Imran Khan was a bold and upright person who would not make any compromise on principles.
He said Imran Khan entered in politics not for the sake of power but for serving the nation. He said the PTI government took practical steps for bringing transparency in the electoral system so that people could be elected on merit and not through use of ill-gotten money.
