News
Friday, August 10, 2012
No clash with any institution: Raja* PM says parliament is mother of all institutions
* No one should teach politics and democracy to PPP
* Completion of five-year term by government is a ‘revolution’
KARACHI: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Thursday said that parliament was the mother of all institutions as it had a mandate of 180 million people and that the government had no clash with any other institution and was serious in holding free, fair and transparent elections
Addressing a ceremony after inspection of the Thar Coal Project, the prime minister said that no one should teach the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) the lesson of politics and democracy as it had waged an unprecedented struggle and tendered sacrifices for democracy.
He said his leadership had urged his party not to indulge in any confrontation with other parties and work with them to resolve national issues with consensus and a policy of reconciliation.
“All institutions must have their independence within their ambit and limits. No force should clash with any other,” he said.
Later in the day, speaking at an iftar dinner hosted by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at the Chief Ministers’ House, the prime minister said that parliament represented 180 million people of Pakistan, whether their representatives were sitting in the government or on opposition benches.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, federal ministers Babar Ghauri, Naveed Qamar, Khursheed Shah, Dr Asim Hussain, Senator Raza Rabbani, and members of Sindh Cabinet, MPAs, coalition partners, and party leaders were also present on the occasion.
Raja said the PPP leadership had rendered great sacrifices for democracy and laid down their lives. “Similarly, other political parties which are our allies also gave sacrifices for democracy, parliament and for people's rights,” he added.
"When we see all of them (our allies) together today, it is a great message of reconciliation, and no message for democracy, parliament and national institutions can be stronger than this," he said. “The government’s completion of its term is a revolution,” he added.
The prime minister said the media was free in the country, judiciary was independent and strong because of stable democracy. “This is possible only when democracy is strengthened due to consistency. History tells us that these institutions cannot maintain their independence and strength in weak and unstable democracy," he said.
Raja said that he was proud to be a political worker from middle class and had arranged chairs, laid rugs and installed loudspeakers for his party's public meetings and spent sleepless nights and shouted slogans.
He said the PPP along with all political forces had reached the present status after a great struggle and sailed through the difficult period and tough conditions with the help of wisdom and experience of its leaders.
He pointed out that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had given them the vision of reconciliation as she believed that politics of reconciliation was needed keeping in view the situation and challenges facing the country. She was of the opinion that political forces should not confront each other, he said.
He said democracy also required patience and cited the example of President Asif Ali Zardari's restraint despite the propaganda and character assassination by sections of the media.
He said when he pointed out the propaganda against him, the president said democracy and institutions were in the evolutionary stage and would gain maturity with the passage of time. "We need to show patience for democracy. We have secured this democracy after great sacrifices and therefore we also have to protect this," he noted. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk