News
Friday, May 21, 2010
Govt-judiciary ‘tension’ to end soon: PM
* Gilani says govt will look into COAS’ service extension issue ‘when time comes’
* Mukhtar’s statement on COAS uncalled forDaily Times Monitor
LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, during his interaction with senior journalists on Thursday, said he hoped that all issues between the government and the Supreme Court will be settled soon.
A private TV channel reported that Gilani denied any rift between his government and the judiciary on the issue of upholding the sentence of Interior Minister Rehman Malik by the Lahore High Court and awarding of the presidential remission soon after.
The prime minister had invited senior journalists for an informal interaction at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad. During the meeting, the prime minister consulted the journalists on various issues and also took them into confidence on his government’s policies.
However, he said the government would accede to and act upon the Supreme Court verdict whatever it was in the original case, adding that all issues with the apex court would be resolved amicably. To a question, he said there was no confrontation among the two state institutions.
Service extension: Gilani said his government would look into the matter of extension in the service of Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani, as and when the time comes, another TV channel reported.
On the recent statement of Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar about the army chief’s service extension, the PM said the statement was inopportune and uncalled for and Mukhtar should not have given it in the first place.
During the meeting, the journalists shared their opinion on a number of national and international issues and also discussed policies of the coalition government. About by-elections of PPP leader Jamshed Dasti, Gilani said it was the judiciary that allowed him to contest the by-polls.
On the presidential pardon to Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Gilani said the minister had been pardoned as the court awarded him the sentence in absentia. He also said it was not appropriate for any government to send its home affairs ministers to jail.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, State Minister for Information Samsam Ali Bokhari, Parliamentary Secretary for Information Azeem Daultana and the information secretary were also present during the meeting.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk