October 21, 2007	Sunday	Shawwal 8, 1428

ISLAMABAD Oct 20: A team of National Democratic Institute met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and discussed the preparations for general elections.

The delegation was led by Senator Thomas Daschle, former US Senate majority leader.

Sources said that the NDI team raised fears about media freedom and abuse of journalists at the hands of government agencies.It cited reports according to which journalists filing independent stories were picked up by agencies and harassed and some of them even killed, the sources said.

Prime Minister Aziz defended government’s stance on media treatment and challenged the team to come out with facts and figures.

The NDI is known for floating independent views after undertaking studies in various global trouble spots.

The prime minister assured that elections would be held in a free, fair and transparent manner and all parties would be provided a level playing field to contest elections.

The meeting was attended by Ms Susanne M. Wood, former president of the New Zealand National Party, Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Khalilul Rehman and Minister of State for Information Tariq Azeem Khan.

According to an official handout issued here, the prime minister said that the Election Commission was an independent entity and the government was firm to extend all possible cooperation to the Election Commission ensuring them for holding free, fair and transparent elections.

Condemning Thursday’s terrorist attack in Karachi, the prime minister said that the government was investigating and people behind the heinous crime would be brought to book.