HYDERABAD, April 25: Federal Minister for Information and Media Development Nisar Memon dispelled the impression created by the vested interests that the presidential referendum would ultimately take the place of the ensuing general elections.

He was speaking at a news conference at the Circuit House on Thursday.

He said that the referendum had nothing to do with the general elections, and added that the general elections would be held on schedule.

He said that the referendum had been necessitated because some political parties had publicly declared that they would undo the reforms brought about by Gen Pervez Musharraf for the welfare of the people.

He said that it was necessary to protect these reforms in the larger interest of the country and the nation, and, therefore, an endorsement was being sought from the people for the purpose of continuity and protection of the reforms.

He said that the election commission was making arrangements for the general elections and the administration was extending its support to the commission to complete the process.

Mr Memon said that the voters’ lists were being prepared in three languages, including Sindhi.

He claimed that almost all political parties and the people at large had welcomed the change of government in October 1999, and added that the government was sincerely working towards the enforcement of true democracy in the country.

He said that the first phase had been completed by holding the local-bodies elections and transferring of power to the grass roots level.

Mr Memon said that 5,000 projects had been rolled out under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, and added that several mega projects like the construction of the Gwadar Port, Lyari Express, Northern Bypass and highways had also been launched.

He said that the country had attained enormous importance on the international level due to the steps taken by Gen Musharraf against terrorism.

He said that today Pakistan had over five billion dollars in foreign exchange, and the growth rate of loans had come down from 16 per cent to 6 per cent.

On the subject of continuity, Mr Memon recalled that one political government had announced the construction of the motorway, while the next government had stopped it, and again when the former government came back into power, it restarted the construction.

He said that this was why the presidential referendum was being held to protect the reforms and continue the government policies in the interest of the country and the people.

He did not agree with a questioner that opposition parties were not being allowed to hold rallies. He elucidated that it was no secret that when the parties brought out rallies, they hurled stones, damaged properties, and created a law and order situation.

He said that the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy had been allowed to hold a public meeting at the Minar-i-Pakistan but it had insisted on holding the meeting at a congested and crowded place which could have led to disturbances.

Mr Memon claimed that the press enjoyed full freedom. He said that one of the newspapers, which had written extremely objectionable material, was closed but it was soon allowed to come out.

He said that the newspapers should publish the viewpoints of all the parties, and added that if a newspaper became a party paper then it needed to be exposed. He said that he had instructed the PTV, Radio Pakistan, and the APP to provide full coverage to all the parties.