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First 100 days Change of govt accepted by world community: JJ

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Chief Executive Gen. Pervez Musharraf on Media Development, Javed Jabbar said here on Thursday that the change of government had been accepted by the world community as from no where in the world has anybody opposed the change of government.

He stated this while briefing a large number of journalists on the achievement of new government in the first 100 days of its rule. He said the recent debt rescheduling by the donor countries, successful visits of the friendly countries by the chief executive and the visit of important legislators from the USA, UK and Commonwealth prove the acceptance of government by the world community.

The adviser presenting the renewed efforts for a successful foreign policy said that China had agreed to start joint ventures with Pakistan to increase the production of agricultural and industrial sectors in the recent visit of the chief executive. Iran is ready to import 0.1 million tonnes of rice from Pakistan after a gap of many years.

The sense of a clear direction of the present government has enabled to break the diplomatic isolation of Pakistan. Indian efforts on the recent hijacking issues to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state have been thwarted.

He claimed that the government had been successful in reviving the economy in first 100 days and substantiating his claim, he presented the record trading on Karachi Stock Exchange in recent days. He was optimist that the comprehensive economic revival plan announced by the chief executive would be instrumental in the revival of economy in the near future.

Replying to a question, he said the government was pursuing a three phase policy to assess about the public opinion on Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) before deciding about it.

Giving details he said in the first phase Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar articulated about the pros and cons of the policy, in the second phase (about to start in a couple of days) there would be public debates on the subject in print and electronic media.

In the last phase the government will assess the public opinion by having discussion with public leaders at all levels. However, he gave no time frame for the completion for these stages.

He sighted the independence of judiciary as the main achievement of 100 days of the government. He claimed that the judiciary in the tenure of present regime was free from physical and verbal abuse which was the hallmark of the previous government.

He declared the freedom of press and information as the second main achievement of the government, as no military government of the past had given this facility to the media.

He said efforts were under way to arrange briefings for newsmen on regularly basis by assigning a spokesman of a ministry every fortnight.

Javed Jabbar said that all the human rights organisations and NGO were working freely without any restrictions. He assured that the accountability drive would be impartial and justice would prevail.

He gave an indication that the process for the creation of authentic democratic process would start by holding of elections for local bodies before the end of the year.