News
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Season of rumours will end in March
PM moves to undo damage
* PM says clarification from army chief has been extremely well taken in democratic circles
* Says there will definitely be an improvement because of it
* Military and civilian leadership on the same page for last four years
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday said the political parties, judiciary and army chief have voiced support for democracy and the season of rumours will end in March.
Talking to mediapersons here after attending a function in connection with Christmas celebrations at Fatima Church, he said the Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution in support of democracy. He said the clarification of
the army chief on democracy was extremely well taken in the democratic circles and certainly it will bring improvement. The military and civilian leadership were on the same page for the last four years on issues of terrorism, Pakistan-US relations and Kashmir, he added. “We will not do anything while hiding, and whatever is done will come in the open,” he said.Gilani said the PPP government was taking care of the needs of the minorities and it was doing more than was being done anywhere in the world. The newly formed Ministry of National Harmony will take care of the issues of minorities of Pakistan, he added. He said the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) took a consensus decision of halting the NATO supplies, vacation of Shamsi airbase and boycott of Bonn Conference. The Parliamentary Committee on National Security will give recommendations on engagements with NATO, ISAF and the United States in the future, he said. The recommendations will be put before the joint sitting of parliament for final decisions, he added.
Gilani downplayed rumours of a dangerous rift between the government and the military that threatens to bring down the president after a memo alleging an army plot to seize power. He told reporters at the church that he welcomed comments from army chief General Ashfaq Kayani that the military had no plans to topple the civilian government. On Friday, Pakistan’s military released a statement in which Kayani told his troops the military would continue to support democracy in Pakistan and that any talk the army was planning to take over was “speculation”.
Rumours have swirled in recent weeks that President Asif Ali Zardari, who left Pakistan for medical treatment in Dubai earlier this month, would be forced out by the military. The tension is a worrying sign for the region and for Pakistan’s already uneasy relationship with its key ally, the United States. Washington wants political stability in nuclear-armed Pakistan so that Islamabad can help fight militancy and help Western efforts to stabilise neighbouring Afghanistan.
On Thursday, Gilani told parliament that any institution acting as a “state within a state” was unacceptable, a clear reference to the military. Senior army officers told Reuters this week about the military’s unhappiness with the president but also said any action to remove him would have to be taken within the constitution. Another military source said on Friday tensions must be defused. “Tempers are flaring, there is no doubt about that,” the source told Reuters. “However, there are efforts to pacify the situation as well. And I hope they work, as under the current scenario, it is fast becoming a recipe for a head-on collision.” Zardari’s spokesman, meanwhile, said on Friday the president had resumed duties after returning from Dubai this week and had no intention of leaving over the memo scandal.
The premier wished well Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, who joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Saturday. Speaking about the gas load management, the prime minister said, “We are trying to address the situation as we do not want people to face trouble and raise slogans against us. We will do our utmost to give relief to the people.” He asked Imran Khan to give some hints and tips to the government so it can use them to change destiny of the people. To a question, he said 18th Amendment in the Constitution was passed through parliament after thorough discussion and debate. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk