News
Saturday, December 03, 2011
Conspirators bent upon toppling government* Prime minister rules out possibility of destabilisation of democratic system
* Says those who called parliament a rubber stamp, should clear their mind
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Friday that the PPP government could not be toppled easily by the conspirators who, he claimed, were bent upon removing it from the office.
Talking to media persons after a seminar, Gilani termed as success the remaining in office of the present democratic system for the last four years despite having been subjected to conspiracies. He felt that all such conspiracies are being churned out as an escape from the next Senate elections, which are scheduled in March 2012.
He ruled out any possibility of destabilisation of the present system despite the threats it faces. “To destabilise the government is next to impossible through a democratic move,” Gilani remarked in reply to a question. He said it was the testimony of a strong democratic system that the government was in place despite several undemocratic attempts against it. “They can do no harm to us. I want to give this message loud and clear,” he said, adding that the democratic system was not established in a single day and was the result of numerous sacrifices by great leaders, including Benazir Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. “This system is here to stay and it will not be destabilised through any democratic or undemocratic move,” he said categorically. He said those who called parliament a rubber stamp, should clear their mind. He said the entire nation, civil society and media were supporting democracy.
Separately, while talking to media outside parliament, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdaus Ashiq Awans said Pakistan Muslim League-N, after facing defeat on political front, was doing politics under the cover of institutions. She said the government’s stance on memogate issue would come after its thorough examination as a PPP legal team was looking into it. The government she added, has respect and honour for the courts, but they should not be politicised.
Firdaus regretted that parliament has been by-passed on the memo issue by the PML-N which, she said, was against the sanctity of this national institution. She said that a 17-member parliamentary committee, comprising all political parties, was not given the time and opportunity to investigate the matter. Nawaz League has shattered national harmony and unity in this way, she added.
The minister said Nawaz Sharif’s petition in memo case was a direct assault on democracy and also reflected the fact that PML-N has no confidence in parliament. She said recent victory of PPP and PML-Q candidate in the by-election in Bahawalpur was a referendum against PML-N and showed the public confidence in the policies of federal government. She said the honor and dignity of the nation will not be compromised at any cost. The minister said time has proved that the democratic governments always fought for cause of nation very effectively at the international forums.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had on Monday referred the memogate issue to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security. The investigation into the scandal, involving former ambassador to US Husain Haqqani, created a storm in the country leading to the resignation of Haqqani to face the inquiry into this matter. Last week, a high level meeting of the top civilian and military leadership summoned the former ambassador where he had to explain his position viz-a-viz this diplomatic fiasco.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk