LAHORE, Jan 30: Former president of the PML Mian Azhar has termed government's claims of progress an attempt to rub salt into the wounds of the poor.

Talking to delegations from Nawabshah, Sahiwal and Mardan at his residence here on Sunday, he said dozens of suicides and self-immolations were exposing these claims of progress.

He believed that a representative government and real democracy was necessary to solve national problems. He said the incumbent rulers would be held responsible if a political solution to the Balochistan issue was not found.

Answering a question, he said local body polls could not be held in a fair and transparent manner in the presence of the current government.