ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: Former federal minister for information Javed Jabbar says the present parliament is very important, as the country is passing through a phase of “redistribution of powers”.

He stated this while delivering a lecture on “Role, Status and Responsibilities of Parliamentarians” on the eve of orientation workshop for MNAs on Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in National Assembly, organized by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) here on Friday.

Over 30 MNAs and former parliamentarians, including Gohar Ayub Khan, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, Azeem Tariq, Farid Ahmed Piracha and Murtaza Satti, attended the lecture. This was the 7th such event organized by PILDAT in different cities of the country in the last one year.

Mr Jabbar urged the politicians to play their role in strengthening democracy and there was no need for them to get disappointed with the fate of democracy in the country.

He said the present parliament would have to play a great role in this crucial time.

He regretted that Pakistan was at 140th number, out of 191, in the human development sector.

He said four years ago, Pakistan was placed at 133rd position, which showed a decline in the pace of human development.

He said politics was a noble profession and the present parliamentarians should become a role model for the new generation. Mr Jabbar said there should be no character assassination campaigns against the politicians in the country.

He said there should be no difference between elected and nominated members.

As far as power struggle was concerned, he said, it was in the nature of human beings.

He said rigging in elections took place in almost all the countries of the world. He mentioned that recently a book titled “Stupid Whiteman” had exposed rigging in the last US president’s elections.

The book, he said, had mentioned how the governor of Florida, who was the brother of George W. Bush, used his powers to manipulate the polls.