Those giving lectures on reforms should prove their worth: Ashraf

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Wednesday said those who were giving lectures on democracy and reforms should prove the worth, of what they had done for democracy in the past in Pakistan.

The prime minister was addressing a function at the Prime Minister Secretariat, in connection with the regularisation of the contract employees of the National Highway Authority (NHA).

He said that it goes to the credit of the PPP that its leader Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave the right of vote to the people and started the democratic process in the country. No one will be allowed to derail democracy, he added.

Ashraf said it was also the contribution of the PPP that the present elected government following the 2008 elections restored real democracy in the country after a nine-year long dictatorship.

He said despite a fragile democracy that was facing challenges in 2008, parliament was successfully completing its full tenure and had taken a number of steps for the welfare of the people and progress of the country.

“The elections are very near, everyone has the right to contest these polls and judge their popularity and whoever will be given the mandate from the people will have the right to be the real representative of the people and rule the country,” he maintained.

“We don’t need any lecture on democracy as the PPP is the only party which has not only rendered sacrifices for democracy but also given the universal right of vote to the masses,” he said.

He said that the democratic system, protected by the Constitution, is the best system to ensure the progress and prosperity of the country, welfare of the masses and to serve the people in a legal way.

The prime minister said that democracy was the only solution to all the problems of the people and it was the only way to ensure the peace, progress and prosperity of the country in a constitutional way.

He said no one could claim to be a true representative of the masses as elections were the only process to determine the real representatives of the people of Pakistan. “Everyone has the right to participate in the election process and it is the power of the masses which determines who will be their real representative,” he added.

Raja said that democratic process was only controlled by the Constitution and the elected parliament was a custodian of this process.

“Non-democratic and unconstitutional governments have no respect at a global level,” he added.

Prime Minister Raja said if there was any need to rectify any error, even then elections and democracy were the only way to do so.

He said the PPP government was in power because it got votes in the elections and then got support from its allies. Therefore, it was able to form the government in a democratic manner, which was the real and right way.

The premier said that some elements did not believe in this democratic system, but if they had any other proposal, it could be implemented through the election process as there was no other alternative to elections and democracy.

Referring to the achievements of the democratic government, he said despite challenges, the democratic government of the PPP with the support of its allies took bold decisions and made the country self-sufficient in wheat and even the country was able to export 2.6 million tons of wheat in 2008.

He said under the policy of providing, generating and protecting jobs, the PPP reinstated 11,000 terminated employees and confirmed over 104,000 temporary and daily wage employees.

He also announced to confirm all the remaining temporary employees of National Highway Authority. He said the PPP government faced the challenges of extremism and terrorism and assured full support to the Pakistan Army in the war against terror.

Raja said the peace and security had been improved as compared to 2008 and it was better today than before. Referring to the importance of a road network in the country, he said that a better roads infrastructure was directly related to the development of the country. He said government was committed to further improve the roads network so that there could be more progress and prosperity in the country.

Referring to a story about Hitler, he said that the German leader also asked his economic experts to give one suggestion for the progress and prosperity of the country and his experts had told him that there should be a comprehensive road network from North to South, East to West and connected with the small towns to achieve the progress and prosperity. He said progress and prosperity of any country was judged with the road network, adding that the PPP government always gave due attention to improve this network in the country.

Earlier, Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgeer in his welcome address said the NHA had been playing a very active role in supervising the road network in the country.

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