Aziz reiterates pledge to hold fair polls

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that efforts will be made to hold the forthcoming local bodies (LB) elections in a free, fair and transparent manner.

He was talking to the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) Chairman Daniyal Aziz who called on him at Prime Minister’s House on Sunday. The prime minister said that the Election Commission’s code of conduct would be enforced in letter and spirit. He said that every effort would be made to avoid misuse of power by candidates. He said that a level playing field would be provided to all candidates. He called upon the people to elect honest, upright, hardworking and dedicated individuals who could transform the country. He also said that the LB elections were an important part of the devolution process, which the government intended to strengthen.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain called on the PM and discussed the forthcoming local bodies elections. The prime minister briefed the PML president on his recent visit to the Sindh province where he held a meeting with Pir Pagaro. They also discussed the organisational matters of the party’s Sindh chapter.

Online adds: The PM has said that the government was committed to taking all initiatives for the rehabilitation of the flood-hit families. He was talking to journalists on the occasion of sending relief assistance worth Rs 5 million to flood victims in the Punjab.

He expressed concern over the losses caused by floods and said that flood victims’ grievances would be addressed and provincial governments had been directed to take remedial measures. He said that the government had provided assistance to the NWFP and Sindh would get assistance very soon. He said that floods were moving to the lower parts of Sindh but the timely construction of Sukkur Barrage would help safeguard the people. He said that people were being moved to safer locations. He said that a long-term policy to counter floods had been successful and the loss was less than anticipated.

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