LAHORE - Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira has said the government will take steps in accordance with the Supreme Court verdict regarding 37 ordinances passed after the imposition of emergency by Pervez Musharraf. The decision is very important and will prove to be a milestone in the history of Pakistan and the government will act upon it in its true letter and spirit. He was talking to the mediamen while addressing Meet the Press programme at the Lahore Press Club here on Saturday. Kaira presented a cheque of Rs one million to President LPC Sarmad Bashir. Kaira maintained that the Pakistan Peoples Party had always struggled against dictatorship and the judgment of the Apex Court would play an important role in strengthening democracy. The PPP leadership and workers never accepted any dictator and have rendered sacrifices for democracy, he said. While answering a question, he denied any differences between Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari. During the last seven to eight months, some people have cherished this wish, but there have been no differences, and there will neither be any in future, he added, while maintaining that both leaders belonged to the same party and endorsed one manifesto. To another question about the conflicts of the PPP with the coalition government in Sindh and Punjab, Kaira observed differences were a routine matter for such governments across the globe. If there arises any differences, leaders sit together and resolve the issues, he added. The minister negated the assertion that there was a military operation in Balochistan, as the security forces were only taking action against the criminals carrying out anti-state activities in the area. Some criminal elements are involved in damaging public installations, violence and target-killings in the province, he averred, adding that the government was committed to resolve the Balochistan issue and a cabinet committee was working on it. The government believes in the provincial autonomy, and Balochistan issue will be settled soon, said the minister. He did not dilate upon a question about abolishing of the Islamabad High Court, as he said, Judiciary knows its matters better. About the National Reconciliation Ordinance, Kaira opined that it was introduced before the imposition of emergency. To a question about refusal of Asian Development Bank and World Bank to provide financial assistance for the Bhasha Dam, he said the work on the Dam would start soon and it was not a controversial project. The Bhasha Dam will benefit the Northern Areas also. The government has allocated a hefty amount for this project and a total of about Rs 11 billion will be spent within next seven to eight years, he added, while informing the mediamen that by 2011, 17000 megawatt electricity would be produced, which would be more than our requirement. Responding to another question about the closure of the Chashma Power Plant, the minister said it was done so due to the annual maintenance and repair. The government is introducing short and long-term policies to overcome power shortage, and the Premier Gilani has constituted a 6-member cabinet committee to resolve the issue, he said, also mentioning that the government was holding meetings with Wapda and the Karachi Electricity Supply Company in this regard. Responding to a question about action against Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution, Kaira said the Parliament had already completed its job on this matter. The government will take further decision in this regard after the detailed judgement of the SC, he added. The minister urged the media to play its role for developing public support against terrorism and extremism in the country. Press has always played important role for the restoration of democracy, he added. Kaira said the government was launching a Journalist Training Programme in all big cities of the country to train the community. This programme will enable the journalists community to perform duties effectively and actively, he said, adding that the government had allocated Rs 980 million to provide financial assistance to journalists, who were sacked from the service by the owners. A summary has been forwarded to the prime minister for establishing a Journalist Victim Fund, he informed the mediamen. He also said the government had started giving serious thinking to the 8th Wage Award, which would be outlined according to the courts decision about the 7th Award. The Attorney General will be represent the state during the 7th Wage Award hearings, he added. On the demand of group insurance of members of the LPC, the minister assured that the government would consider the proposal. He also condemned the incident of torturing journalists by the lawyers.