LAHORE: of set the nation on the path of growth, President Asif Ali Zardari has advocated for the adoption of a comprehensive strategy and responsible financial practices. He claimed that the economy’s many sectors, particularly the agricultural one, needed to be developed in a contemporary manner.
The province governments will take the lead in enacting legislation to tax big landholding farmers based on their income and expenses, even if the federal government intends to tax agricultural revenue in compliance with IMF regulations.
These are the words that the president spoke at the Professor Waris Mir Memorial Seminar on Tuesday. Attendees at the event included a sizable number of academics, journalists, political workers, and civil society representatives.
The president emphasized that although people’s opinions were amplified by the media, this had led to grouping in the media in recent years. He issued a warning, pointing out that there was a powerful religious lobby working to divide Muslim societies by controlling and influencing opinions.
He declared that he was in favor of press freedom and that he had always put up with negative coverage from the media. Societies must exercise caution when it comes to information with an agenda. Life is full of ups and downs, but one must maintain composure in the face of difficulties.
He praised Benazir Bhutto’s political activism and sacrifices for democracy, noting that despite pressure and killings in the past, the Pakistan People’s Party persisted in its fight for democracy in Pakistan. “We firmly believe that life and death are in Allah’s hands, so we could not be deterred from our mission by assassination attempts or political pressure.”
He honored the late Professor Waris Mir’s services and achievements to media and democracy. He was grateful to Faisal and Hamid Mir for carrying on their father’s heritage.
Speaking at the event, senior journalist Hamid Mir urged preserving the 1973 Constitution in its original meaning and ending the culture of political victimization. Sohail Warraich, a senior journalist, honored Waris Mir’s contributions to democracy and media. He acknowledged the president’s political acumen and position as a mediator, saying that political reconciliation was desperately needed and that the president could be a key player in resolving the nation’s political and economic problems.
