ISLAMABAD, June 28: Federal Minister of State for Information Tariq Azeem Khan has said that top-level talks between the government and former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto are under way.

“There is complete democracy in Pakistan and every one has freedom of expression here”, Mr Tariq said at a press conference in the Pakistan Muslim League House on Wednesday.

He said that the country ‘does not need to get a certificate for restoration of democracy from anyone and we do not accept any country’s dictation in this respect.’

Mr Tariq expressed the hope that privatization process would not be affected by the Supreme Court verdict on the privatization of the Pakistan Steel Mills, saying that it was a decision about a particular case.

He said that a decision about removing the condition of graduation for general election candidates would be made after reviewing the issue.

Mr Tariq said that it was opposition’s routine to make noise of pre-poll rigging but it did not see any rigging when it won an election.

He said that poll rigging was not possible in present era, adding that if a rigging incident occurred anywhere at grass root level, the central government would not be behind it.

He said that PML elections had started on primary and secondary levels and its central polls would be completed by August 12. —-Online

Our Staff Reporter adds: The minister of state claimed that the election 2007 would be free, fair and transparent like the previous polls.

Answering a question, he said that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal could use its democratic right of mass mobilisation through peaceful rallies but expressed the opinion that popularity of both the major opposition alliances, the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and the MMA, had diminished.

Referring to the contacts between the government and the two former prime ministers, he said ‘their messages have been conveyed at the right level they wish and both are in the race; let us see who succeeds in winning a deal.’

About former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali’s intentions of contesting party polls, he said: “He is a senior party leader and we will accept him in whatever position he will like to work on”.

Answering another question, he said the cable operators were broadcasting banned channels and unlawful advertisements for which an action would be initiated against them soon.