HAROONABAD: Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday said only the parliament and political forces had the powers to take political and administrative decisions.

Addressing a press conference here, Kaira said, “We welcome all parties which want to do politics according to the constitution. We will not support those who want to impose their agenda through force.”

He said during the last four and a half years, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led government had faced many internal and external challenges, including terrorism, law and order in Swat and Malakand, energy crisis, threat of being isolated internationally, economic recession, food crisis and floods.

About his government’s achievements, the Information Minister said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had brought all the political forces of the country at one platform and freed Swat and Malakand from the clutches of terrorists.

Replying to a question, Kaira said there were no obstacles in holding of general elections on time. The caretaker government will be set up till March 16 after the dissolution of assemblies and the consultation in this regard will be started soon, he added.

He said the criteria of the caretaker set-up was laid down in the constitution that the Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition would decide about the head of the caretaker government.

If both fail to evolve consensus, then a committee will finalize the names, he said, adding that in case the committee also fails to do so, the Election Commission has the right to take a decision.

Speaking about Tahir ul Qadri, chief of the Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran, Kaira said the government would respect his viewpoint in accordance with the constitution.

“Allama Tahirul Qadri should seek people’s support through popular public vote as no one can be allowed to oppose the constitution,” he added.

He said that during former President Gen. (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s regime, Tahir ul Qadri had left the country, but it was the democratic government that allowed him to return.

Replying to another question, he said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had spent the major chunk of provincial budget on the uplift of Lahore, depriving southern Punjab of its right for development.