ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Barrister Syed Ali Zafar Thursday said it was right of the investigation agencies to act according to law and their actions would not have any effect on the elections.

Speaking to media after attending a seminar here, he said if anybody had any objection to the action of an investigation agency, he could approach the court.

It was not the work of governments to interfere in the investigations of agencies or in the court proceedings, he added.

He said those who had complaints could approach the Supreme Court and High Court, which would take action according to principles of justice. The minister underlined the need for steps to empower the institutions and make them independent.

The minister said foolproof security arrangements would be ensured for peaceful elections. Security would be provided at the polling stations as the need would arise.

To another question, he said he wanted to assure the nation that elections would be held on July 25, and it was responsibility of the caretaker government to hold free, transparent, impartial and peaceful elections.

He said disaster management was also responsibility of the provinces and to meet any emergency situation National Disaster Management Authority and provincial management authorities were in contact.

He said yesterday, he was given a detailed briefing regarding monsoon rains and in the current monsoon season, there was no chance of flooding in any part of the country, however, low lying areas could submerge into water.

Instructions had been issued to the local and provincial governments to meet the challenge at the local level, he informed.

He said he was told in the briefing that work in the area of disaster management was not done. "We have to carry out this work on emergency basis to avoid any disaster."

He said water level at the Tarbela and Mangla dams was low and it was expected that during the monsoon season, water situation would improve in the reservoirs and the power load shedding would be overcome.

He said the cause of load shedding was that transmission and distribution system was not upgraded. The generation capacity was available but the system needed to be improved to supply electricity to the consumers.

He said the federal and provincial committees reached agreement on all issues related to facilitation of merger of FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The federal and provincial committees were on the same page to facilitate the process of merger.

He said in the coming days, important decisions would be taken for provision of facilities after merger of FATA for establishment of courts, taxation, administrative and development infrastructure, changing of levies into police force and for legislation and regulations.

While addressing the seminar on the 70 years literary history of Pakistan, Ali Zafar said people learn from literary figures and get an opportunity to improve themselves.

Persons who belong to the world of literature had respect and status among people and writers and poet could bring change in the world, he added.

Federal Secretary National History and Literary Heritage Division Amir Hassan and Chairman Language Promotion Department Iftikhar Arif were the guests of the seminar. Chairman Pakistan Academy of Letters Syed Junaid Ikhlaq presented the welcome address.

In their speeches, prominent literary figures Prof Jaleel Aali, Muhammad Hameed Shahid, Hakeem Safdar Hussain Wamiq, Dr Manzoor Ali, Dr Ismail Gohar, Dr Wahid Bukhsh Buzdar, Hafeez Khan, Syed Majid Khan, Ejaz Naumani, Ikhlaq Hussain and Yasmeen Hameed expressed their views about Pakistani languages in literature.—APP