Caretaker Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Murtaza Solangi, emphasizes the need for the electoral process to continue, discussing crucial issues such as economy, foreign policy, local governance, governance, and civil service reforms. He encourages democratic participation in political parties raising concerns about leveling playing fields.
Minister Solangi expressed these views on Thursday during a seminar titled “Challenges and Roadmap for the New Government,” organized by the Press Information Department regarding the 2024 elections. He stated that the seminar provided a comprehensive historical perspective, and after such dialogues, restrictions on freedom of expression should be lifted. Highlighting the consensus among participants, Minister Solangi asserted that despite numerous flaws in the democratic system and electoral processes, everyone agrees that elections should take place, and the process should not be halted. He referred to the security and weather issues, stating that similar challenges existed during the 2008 and 2013 elections.
He pointed out that Pakistan’s first adult franchise elections took place on December 7, 1970, in severe cold weather. Minister Solangi acknowledged that the country is currently facing various crises and challenges and stressed the need for tax reforms in the national economy.
Additionally, he mentioned the essential requirement of a local government system under the constitution, criticizing the current dysfunctional state of local governments. He discussed the shifting of resources to provinces after the 18th amendment but lamented that these resources did not trickle down to the grassroots level. Minister Solangi also touched upon the issues of leveling playing fields in politics, emphasizing that the lower and working classes have never found a level playing field in electoral politics. He called for real democracy, asserting that it would only come when the middle class, lower middle class, and working class stand united in elections.
He urged political parties complaining about leveling playing fields to introspect and ask themselves if they practice democracy within their own parties. Concluding his address, Minister Solangi stated that the country needs to address challenges in the fields of economy, foreign policy, local governance, governance, and civil service reforms. He called for a national consensus on these issues after the elections to tackle the significant challenges ahead.
