Assumptions, rumours about elections have died: Solangi

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Monday said that all assumptions and rumours regarding the general elections had died.

Delivering his speech at a function organised by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Solangi said that elections will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2024 and the people of Pakistan will exercise their right to vote.

The minister said it was the responsibility of the caretaker government to provide support to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and it will fulfill its responsibility.

Being a parliamentary democracy, he said, the elected representatives had the rightful mandate to run the system in line with the country’s constitution, the official news agency reported.

Urging the national media for responsible reporting on elections, Solangi said, “The responsibility of the media had increased a lot with regard to general elections.”

Important issues including the economy, foreign policy, education, and health used to be part of the manifestoes of political parties, Solangi maintained.

He said that basic issues should be discussed and awareness among the people on national issues should be increased.

“Today, we are facing problems like population growth,” Solangi said, adding that it should be controlled.

He said it was the obligation of the political parties to fulfill promises made to the electorate. He opined that increasing awareness about national issues was the need of the hour. The minister said that under the 18th Amendment, provinces had been empowered. He also stressed for promotion of democratic attitudes within political parties.

Solangi expressed the hope that the political parties coming to power after the February elections would take steps for the resolution of real problems in the country.

Earlier this month, Solangi has said that major political parties would have to give a vision for the economic future of the country.

Delivering his speech at the seminar on ‘Pakistan Elections 2024: Economic Reforms Agenda of Political Parties’, hosted by Press Information Department, he said, “Political parties should give a vision for the betterment of the country.”

The minister said emphatically that improvement of the economy and economics was the need of the hour.

Stressing the need to discuss the country’s issues openly, Solangi said that everyone should agree on the economic direction of the country.