ABBOTTABAD, March 28: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli said on Tuesday that for the first time in the political history of Pakistan, parliament would complete its stipulated term of five years as envisaged in the constitution.

“Opposition should wait till October 2007 instead of rumour mongering about the future of the assemblies,” she told journalists at Ayub Medical College on Tuesday after speaking at a workshop on “Asian earthquake: experiences and lessons for future.”

The minister said that it was imperative for the country that President General Pervez Musharraf remained in uniform beyond 2007 due to challenges faced by the country on external and internal fronts.

Ms Tahirkheli said that the MMA government in the NWFP had taken action against four MPAs elected on reserved seats for women minorities or belonging to backward areas after alleging that they were involved in horse trading during the recent Senate elections.

She said that 18 members of the NWFP Assembly belonging to the Muttahida Majlis-Amal had cast votes against the party candidates on the voice of their conscience. Both the print and electronic media had tremendously grown during the tenures of Gen Musharraf both as the chief executive and president, she said.

Never in the history of Pakistan, media enjoyed the freedom it was enjoying today and the credit for that freedom went to President Musharraf, she added.—-APP