ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari urged the caretaker Punjab government on Wednesday to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the province.

He was talking to Punjab Governor Makhdoom Syed Ahmed Mehmood and Chief Minister Najam Sethi at the Presidency.

“The governor and the chief minister apprised the president of various steps being taken to ensure free and fair elections,” the president’s spokesman, Senator Farhatullah Babar, said.

The president was also briefed on the law and order situation in the province. Mr Zardari asked the provincial government to take every possible step to meet expectations of the people.

He asked them to take fool-proof security measures during electioneering and especially on the polling day.

APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES: Later, the president approved appointment of six additional judges of the Lahore High Court (LHC) for one year. The newly appointed judges are Shoaib Saeed, Atir Mahmood, Shahid Bilal Hassan, Aalia Neelum, Shezada Mazhar and Abid Aziz Sheikh.

Mr Babar said that nominations had been forwarded by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan to the Parliamentary Committee on Judges for Appointment in the Superior Courts which were subsequently forwarded to the prime minister under Clause 13 of article 175A of the constitution.

The prime minister, in turn, advised the president to approve them and acting upon the advice of the prime minister the president approved the appointments.