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I don't need vote of confidence: PM Gilani
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that he does not need a vote of confidence, Geo News reported.He urged the parliamentarians to join hands for strengthening democratic institutions and the Parliament.
Referring to the resolution, moved in the National Assembly by leader of Awami National Party Asfand Yar Wali Khan in support of democracy, the prime minister told the House, "The resolution is not against any institution, against judiciary or army."
The prime minister vowed that the resolution is just to support the democratic process and for continuity of parliamentary system in the country.
"You should protect yourself, you should protect the Parliament," said the prime minister directly giving the message to the members of the Parliament.
Gilani said the present session of National Assembly has not been summoned to seek support from opposition for the government or against any other institution.
"We will not beg support from any one and prefer to go to masses," he said. The premier said the resolution is for strengthening democracy and other institutions.
He extended full support to the opposition if it wanted to make any change in the Constitution for strengthening democracy in the country.
He emphatically stated that only the Parliament and no other institution, has the prerogative to decide about the tenure of the government.
He asked the opposition members and other parliamentarians to bring constitutional amendment if they wanted to reduce tenure of the Parliament or the Prime Minister.
The prime minister said, "It is not difficult for an independent House to bring any amendment in support of democracy as this House has already done 103 amendments."
He said the government did not want to get support on National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), nor to get support against Army and confront with any institution.
Gilani said, "We do not want that the sympathies and loyalties of the members be changed overnight."
He pointed that the NRO was not drafted by the PPP, adding that no one was talking about its creator.
The prime minister said it was to the credit of this Parliament that Chief of Army Staff and Chief of ISI came here to apprise this House.
He said, "let us decide that either there will be democracy or there will be dictatorship in the country" adding that mistakes of the politicians should not punish the democracy. "We are not against any institution."
He said the removal of government in October 1999 was also a conspiracy against the elected government that had two-third majority.
Gilani said even if the government is packed up, the opposition would not get any benefit. We are political workers. We may commit mistakes but the democracy should not suffer.
He said the resolution has been brought to strengthen the democracy and democratic institutions in the country.
The prime minister said, "despite majority in the House, we do not desire to bulldoze the opposition but to take them along," and added, voting on the resolution will be held on Monday with consensus.
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan strongly objected summoning of the session without taking the opposition parties into confidence.
He said there is no threat to the Parliament and the democracy,and we should avoid the course of confrontation among the institutions. (APP)
Courtesy www.geo.tv