News
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
PM asks opp leadership to shun ‘dirty politics’* Warns opp not to mislead nation through politics of confrontation, agitation, campaign of character assassination
* Govt will complete its tenure and opposition should accept it
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday came down hard on the opposition and warned it not to mislead the nation through its politics of confrontation, agitation and campaign of character assassination, rather adopt a way of reconciliation and mutual understanding.
He asked the opposition not to resort to point-scoring and give proposals for resolving the problems of the masses in the National Assembly debate on the national budget in its ongoing session.
Addressing parliamentarians of the Pakistan People’s Party and its allied parties at the Prime Minister’s House, Gilani said the government was compelled to take tough decisions which were not politically popular among the public.
He said the government inherited the problems of loadshedding, inflation and unemployment and now it had to use all available resources to overcome these issues.
The premier criticised the opposition for raising slogans and levelling baseless allegations during the budget speech, saying “the action of the opposition did not serve interest of the nation”.
He asserted that neither the government would lose its head nor the people would be misled by the baseless propaganda and rumour-mongering of the opposition, and advised it to act realistically as the government was determined to complete its constitutional term with the support of the people. He made clear that his government would not get agitated as patience and tolerance was its strength.
He said that a negative image of Pakistan was given to the world when opposition in the NA tore down the copies of the budget document and created a scene in the House. He asserted that the government would complete its tenure and opposition should accept this reality.
The government, said Gilani, had presented the best budget in the current circumstances. “No new tax was imposed. Salaries were raised by 15 percent. Pensions were increased by 20 percent. General sales tax was reduced by one percent. Flood surcharge and special excise duty was abolished while custom duty was not increased,” added the prime minister.
Giving details of other relief measures taken by the government in the budget, the premier said the government’s steps would not only stabilise the economy but would also provide maximum relief to the people.
About the war on terror, Gilani said the government was determined to continue the war with the unanimous support of the public representatives and people. “No other country has given such a huge sacrifice,” he added.
The premier further said that Pakistan did not have any aggressive designs against any country, but it had the full ability to respond to any threat to its independence, sovereignty and danger to its frontiers.
He also said that the nuclear assets of Pakistan were in safe hands and nobody should have any misunderstanding about them. Gilani told the parliamentarians that the clandestine elements behind the Abbottabad operation and PNS Mehran naval base attack would be unveiled at all costs. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk