ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday said the Pakistan People’s Party had come to power through the mandate given by the masses and it was not afraid of any grand alliance.Speaking to media representatives after addressing the opening session of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) media seminar here, she said that history was witness that in the past several alliances were created to block the way of the PPP but always the masses voted it back to power.
Citing the example of the recent Azad Kashmir elections, she said that the masses supported the policies of the government and the PPP was the party of the people.
Welcoming the reported meeting between senior Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leaders and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership in London, she said that meetings of political leaders were a good omen for democracy as dialogue was an important component of democratic culture.
Talking about the July 5, 1977 overthrowing of democratic government she said that if the path of dialogue was followed at that time, the country would not have faced long dictatorial rule.
Answering a question about additional director general Zafar Qureshi of FIA, she said since the issue of National Investment Corporation Limited (NICL) was sub judice, she would not comment on the issue.
She said that the Shamsi airbase issue was the legacy of the previous dictatorial regime and the present government was trying to re-engage international allies keeping in view the national interests and guidelines given in the unanimous parliamentary resolution.
She said as the matter was related with the Ministry of Defence thus Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar was the better person to reply to such queries.