ISLAMABAD, Jan 25: Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro said on Friday that the elections would be held on schedule and the government would provide the necessary support to the Election Commission of Pakistan for holding free, fair and transparent elections in a peaceful environment.

The prime minister was talking to a media delegation from Myanmar, which had called on him at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.

He expressed satisfaction over relations with Myanmar and said that Pakistan was keen to strengthen its diplomatic, economic and trade ties with the country.

He said exchange of visits particularly of media people would help bolster bilateral relations. He said people-to-people contact was vital for better understanding and the media could play an important role in this regard.

Answering a question about media development, the prime minister said that besides a vibrant press, over 50 private channels were functioning in the country.

He said the government believed in the freedom of a responsible media and would take all necessary measures in this regard.

The prime minister also said that terrorism was a global phenomenon and was a threat to world peace. He said that Pakistan had been confronting this challenge for a long time and expressed the government’s resolve to eradicate the menace. Prime Minister Soomro offered scholarships to Myanmar students to study in Pakistani educational institutions.

The delegation appreciated the hospitality of the government and said that they were impressed by the freedom enjoyed by the media in Pakistan.