LAHORE: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Monday called upon the people to beware of parties entering into alliance with extremist-minded political outfits in the upcoming general election.

“It is the need of the hour to expose political parties having extremist tendencies,” he said while talking to media persons in Lahore.

To a query, Kaira said Pakistan has been facing the menace of terrorism for a long of time, adding that the terrorists were still capable of causing destruction.

“The government has been taking all out measures to defeat them but it takes time,” he said.

Regarding the recent Karachi terrorist attacks, the information minister said that come what may, the general election will be held at all costs.

Kaira dispelled the impression that the government played second fiddle to world powers in the war against terror, adding that the PPP-led government supported the war only to make Pakistan a safe place.

Regrading Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, Kaira said that the government had decided to undertake the project in the larger interest of the country.

He said that President Asif Ali Zardari would inaugurate the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project on March 11, along with his Iranian counterpart.

The minister expressed hope that the gas pipeline project would usher in a new era of development in the region and help Pakistan meet its energy needs, as electricity could also be generated with the gas.