NAWABSHAH, Oct 28: The people enjoyed democracy during the past three years and President Gen Pervez Musharaf has been running the country in a democratic way despite belonging to the military.

This was stated by the Federal Minister for Information and Media Development, Nisar Ahmed Memon, while talking to newsmen at the Nawabshah Press Club on Monday.

He said that no political party was banned during this period, adding that all political parties were allowed to exist and no political leader was arrested during the same period.

Memon also said that the press enjoyed complete freedom besides there was also a freedom of association.

The federal minister said that the government had brought the foreign exchange reserves to a record $9 billion level.

Terming the government’s foreign and defence policies successful, he said that India had been forced to withdraw its army from the country’s borders after 10 months.

Referring to the drop in the level of corruption, the minister said that the government’s efforts during the past three years had enabled the country to climb down to 26th position on the global corruption index from the dishonourable 2nd position.

He said that he had forwarded a summary to the president for establishment of the Pakistan Media Development Foun-dation.