News
Saturday, May 19, 2012
PM asks PML-N to bring no-confidence motion against himImpeach Zardari if you have muscle
* Gilani challenges PML-N to resign from NA and play role of real opposition
* PML-N creating law and order situation in Punjab by pushing people to streets
Staff Report
LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has challenged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to bring a no-confidence motion against him and impeach the president if the party has the courage.
“The only way to unseat me democratically is through a vote of no-confidence and the president can only be removed through impeachment. If you have the courage then go ahead and use the available option,” the prime minister said while talking to media after a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Senior Federal Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at their residence on Friday.
The PM said that he would not resign on somebody’s wishes, since he enjoyed complete support of parliament. He challenged the PML-N members to resign from their seats in the National Assembly and play the role of real opposition. “How can they protest against the government when they are in the government themselves? They would have to resign from their seats to launch protests,” the PM said.
“If the PML-N goes for a long march, it will be unconstitutional,” he said, adding that change of government was possible only through democratic means. He accused the PML-N of creating law and order situation in Punjab by pushing the people to come to the streets. The PM said he fully agreed with Shujaat Hussain’s formula on energy. He said that energy crisis was not a single-party issue rather it was the responsibility of the whole country to overcome it.
He said that after the 18th Amendment, provincial governments should create their own energy resources and take responsibility for overcoming energy shortfall. The PM said the government was fully aware of its responsibility to fulfil energy needs of the country, and 3,600MW had been added to the national grid with another 2,500MW projects in the pipeline, while Thar Coal, Mangla raising and Diamer-Bhasha Dam projects would also be completed soon.
He said that the Emergency Cell and Special Cabinet Committee (SCC) had been constituted to deal with the energy crisis. “The committee will hold its meetings daily while the minister for information and broadcasting is to apprise the public of the shortfall on daily basis,” he added. Speaking on his government’s priorities for the forthcoming annual budget, the PM said that employment opportunities to youth would be increased with 100,000 new jobs, and no new taxes would be introduced in the budget. He said that the government would provide relief to the agriculture sector in the budget.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk