Daily Times

While addressing the “Meet the Editors” organized by the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the members of the federal and provincial assemblies are a hurdle in empowering the local government system. Due to the conflict of interests, the local government system cannot be stable. New administrative units will have to be created in the provinces. Elections will be held in two provinces after the dissolution of the provincial governments in the country. Elections at the federal level will be held only after the term is over.

Dissolving provincial government is tantamount to admitting failure. The economic situation in the country has pushed politics a step back. All the parties have to go beyond their political and party interests and decide the strategy for the survival and security of the country. Social media has changed the standard of accountability. Media today is stronger and more active than in the past. Every leader is accountable for his performance in the media on a daily basis. I have been participating in elections since 1988. No election has been transparent. Truth needs to be promoted more than reconciliation, the effects of the elections after 2018 are there.

The country has gone back 5 years and it will take another 5 years to bring the economy back. Running a coalition government is not an easy task but its Decisions are very durable and long lasting. Not only in Pakistan but all over the world, political parties do not have a democratic atmosphere within themselves. It depends on the leadership. Conflicting interests of the provincial and federal governments is the main reason for the instability of the local government system. Depreciation of dollar is subject to demand and supply and the government has to face many trials to control the inflationary situation. At the end of the ceremony Secretary General CPNE Aamir Mehmood addressed the distinguished guest. Honorary Shield and Chairman CPNE Sindh Committee Hamid Hussain Abdi presented the gift of Ajarak.

On this occasion CPNE (Sindh) President Dr. Jabbar Khattak along with members Ijazul Haque, Maqsood Yousufi, Abdul Khaliq Ali, Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Tahir Najmi, Arif Baloch, Sher Muhammad Khawar, Mahmood Alam Khalid, Salman Qureshi, Shahid Sati, Younis Mehr, Manza Saham, Mohammad Anwar, Zia Qureshi, Imran Shahzad, Atif Sadiq Sheikh, Khushi Mohammad, Nasir Khattak and Rashid Jamal participated.