SUKKUR, March 3: Federal caretaker minister for information and broadcasting Nisar Memon said here on Monday that the country was facing the challenge of terrorism and stressed the need for cohesion and consensus of all stake holders to bring the country back on track.

Speaking as chief guest in the‘Meet the Press’ programme of the Sukkur Press Club, he said by holding elections, the caretaker government successfully achieved its task and was confident that the government-in-waiting would be inducted by the second week of March.

Mr Memon believed that the next government would be formed by the second week of March after which the country would enter into the fresh phase of democracy.

He said Pakistan had been the target of terrorism for quite sometime and even President Musharraf had luckily survived in three terrorist attacks.

He said that the assassination of Benazir Bhutto was a national tragedy and the President immediately ordered a three-day state mourning to acknowledge her contribution towards Pakistan and democracy.

The minister said that President Musharraf believed in freedom of media that was why he repealed the 1962

Press & Publication Order and cited 50 new TV channels, 106 new radio and FM licenses, as a proof of government’s good intentions for freedom of media.

Later, the minister distributed life insurance policy documents to 28 photo journalists, arranged by the Sukkur district government. He announced a Rs200,000 grant for the press club and said that more funds would be arranged for completion of press club building’s extension project.