News
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Country facing economic threat: Gilani
PM urges political leaders to help govt
* Prime minister says war on terrorism has greatly impacted economy
* All stakeholders will be consulted for Karachi peace
* Action will be taken against controversial RPPs
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday, while citing the grave economic challenges, urged the political leadership to help the government find a way out.
The prime minister said this while addressing journalists at the groundbreaking ceremony of Parliament Lodges phase-II.
He said the war on terrorism had greatly impacted the country’s economy along with global recession, adding, prudent steps were required to deal with the gravity of the economic situation.
He said the government was trying its best to overcome the financial problems.
Gilani said that had proper planning been done by the previous government, the issues of inflation and energy would not have grown to such proportions. He said that the growing population was burdening the economy as well.
To a question regarding a decision on governor rule or deployment of army in Karachi for controlling the law and order situation, Gilani said decisions on the issues would be taken in consultation with all political stakeholders.
The prime minister said he had summoned the session of the National Assembly to discuss the issue of law and order to reach a decision with mutual consultation.
He said intelligence agencies, the provincial government and political parties were giving feedback to the government on the law and order situation and the elements involved in target killings in Karachi. “There have been some reduction in the target killing incidents,” he said. Gilani said he would also be briefed by the Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Karachi’s law and order situation. He said the government was ready to hold dialogue with those terrorists who would lay down their weapons and surrender themselves before the local political agents but there will be no dialogue without surrender.
The premier said the matter was subjudice and the rental power plants against whom there were no complaints, were working. He said action would be taken against controversial rental power plants.
Gilani said PPP was in touch with MQM, ANP and PML-N. He said the finance team had met Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and with the cooperation of all the parties, the issue of load shedding of electricity and gas would be addressed.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk