News
Thursday, April 28, 2011
ISI acts under govt instructions: Gilani* PM rejects impression that ISI has ventured into any project without government’s knowledge
* Says intelligence agencies are subservient to govt and are not involved in any act that is against national interests
* Govt won’t let anyone weaken institutions
* Those who want to come into govt through undemocratic means should show patience
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday rejected the claims that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had ventured into any project without the government’s knowledge. Gilani said that the country’s intelligence agencies were subservient to the government and were not involved in any act that was against national interests. “If the ISI has taken some step, it has been done with our backing,” said the prime minister as he responded to the allegations levelled by Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan during the National Assembly’s session.
He clarified that the ISI chief’s visit to the US was not a new thing but an old practice to share intelligence for defence cooperation, and added that it would continue in the future. The government, said Gilani, would not compromise and undermine national interests at any cost, adding that “we do not want anyone to weaken our state institutions”. He declared in clear terms that the ISI chief had been working under the instructions of the government, and said that one should not lend ears to rumours being spread about the intelligence agencies.
Addressing a public gathering after the inauguration of an upgraded health centre near Islamabad, Gilani said that “those leaders who are interested in coming into the government through undemocratic means should show some patience. The nation knows well their worth”. The prime minister also rejected those un-elected leaders who had claimed that they could eradicate terrorism in just three months if made prime minister. He dismissed the claim of a politician who claimed that he enjoyed the backing of the country’s youth.
About the drone strikes, the premier assured the opposition of the government’s support “if they table a resolution in parliament against the unmanned aircraft attacks”. Speaking on the Davis issue, Gilani said that matter was settled by the court, as it was neither the work of the federal or provincial governments. tanveer ahmed/app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk