August 18, 2007	Saturday	Sha’aban 4, 1428

LAHORE, Aug 17: Federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan Niazi said on Friday the government desired free and fair elections and political parties were making deals with it because of its ability to form a strong parliament.

Speaking at a seminar organised by a local newspaper here on Friday, the minister said the government was streamlining the follies committed by the past rulers. Assemblies were completing their tenure for the very first time in the country’s history, he said.

He feared that the judicial system in the country could face some problems in future as, according to him, it was easy to conquer but difficult to maintain.

Federal Law Minister Wasi Zafar urged political leaders to forget their rivalries and personal interests for the sake of the country’s future. They should assemble at one platform with the ruling party in order to devise policies for economic development of the country and to meet the future challenges, he said.

He said every individual and political party should think of national development rather than criticising the incumbent government.

He urged the media to play a positive role in leading the people to a right direction. Zafar also called upon the masses to accept the systems and rules made by the government and play their role in the development of the country.

He appealed to the lawyers to play a constructive role instead of creating hurdles and pressurising the judiciary.

Former governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar said unfortunately there was no respect for humanity in Pakistan as a result of which the country could not progress.

There was zero tolerance for political leaders and parties and even for the judiciary, he said adding there could be no development without removal of dictators, respect to the humanity and the Constitution.

Former Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice Mian Mahboob Ahmad said besides taking a right direction, continuity of the system and rule of law was essential for the national development.

MPA Farzana Raja of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, Mian Allah Nawaz, former LHC chief justice, Prof Dr Mumtaz Husain, Gen Naseer Akhtar (retired) and Lahore High Court Bar Association Secretary-General Sarfraz Cheema also spoke on the occasion.