ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on Thursday said that the government formed in 1990 was fake, assembly was bogus and termed all the decisions taken by that parliament illegal and unconstitutional.

Speaking to state-run Pakistan Television (PTV), Kaira said that all the unconstitutional decisions of the government formed through fraudulent elections are needed to be revisited.

He said that the Supreme Court verdict in the Asghar Khan case has proved that the 1990 government was formed as a result of stolen mandate.

The interim government set-up, which conducted the 1990 elections, rigged the elections through various tactics, he added.

The information minister said that the removal of elected governments through unconstitutional steps in the past had affected the national institutions.

However, the present government is trying its best to strengthen the democratic system, which had been weakened by the dictatorial regimes, he added.

Replying to a question, the minister said that the government had made the constitutional changes through the parliament and now the democracy can not be derailed.

Moreover, speaking to media representatives on the sidelines of a mass marriage ceremony in Kharian, the minister said that only people had the right to decide who would form the governments at center and provinces through their elected representatives and the judiciary had nothing to do with this process.

“General elections are due soon and the masses will hold the accountability of present rulers and elect their representatives for next five years”, he added.

As per the Constitution of Pakistan, the Parliament is the supreme institution as it represents the people's will and is directly answerable to them, he said.

Kaira said that in modern states powers were shared by various institutions. The executive and the judiciary enjoy powers as defined in the Constitution and all the institutions work within the constitutional parameters, he added.

Replying to a question, he said that the Supreme Court could give its verdict only on those matters, which were brought before it through some petitions. Moreover, in some cases the President has the powers of clemency, he added.

The information minister said that media enjoyed complete freedom and the government would not twist its arms through regulatory authority as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had always stood for freedom of press.

Kaira asked the media to show responsibility and avoid sensationalism while reporting important matters. He said that a section of the media gave the impression as if there was confrontation between the institutions, which was totally wrong.

The army chief had only said that the accused should not be treated as convict and there should not be media trial of any one, he added.

“Media should avoid media trial of national institutions and various personalities and the talk show hosts should not issue judgments on various issues,” said the minister.

Replying to a question, he said the country was already facing problems as a result of wrongdoings of Gen (Retd) Aslam Beg, adding now there was no chance of imposition of martial law in the country.

He said that caretaker government would be set up once the elected government completed its term and election would be held on time.

Answering another question regarding Asghar Khan case, the minister said the interior ministry is looking into the matter.

“No institution can send the government packing on one pretext or the other or on the basis of its performance as neither the media nor the political forces and the civil society will tolerate it. All the institutions will have to work within their constitutional domains,” said the minister.