Bahrain has made major reform strides and achieved a lot in the fields of democracy, liberty and human rights, the Premier said yesterday (September 14).

Upcoming elections will also open a new chapter of national action, he said reported the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

He stressed that whoever ignores landmark achievements and tries to underestimate them lacks credibility as reality has become crystal-clear to all the world.

His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa expressed pride in the kingdom's milestone accomplishments and said they have been attained, thanks to the fruitful co-operation between the government, the legislative branch and citizens who placed national interests above everything else.

This came as the Premier received MPs and Shura Council members, in the presence of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs president Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa, parliament chairman Dr Khalifa Al Dhahrani and Shura Council chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh.

The Premier said the elections would open a new chapter of national work, development and progress, noting that Bahraini citizens are aware enough, which 'makes us confident that the electoral process will add a new brick to the nation-building process, in which parliamentary life is one of its main pillars'.

He urged stronger commitment to national unity in order to foil attempts to sow division among the members of Bahraini society.

He stressed that current developments in the region require more vigilance and caution. - TradeArabia News Service