News
Monday, October 17, 2011
Power aspirants should wait till next elections* PM says general elections will be held in 2013
* Government has no conflict with army chief and chief justice of Pakistan
* Pakistan wants relations with US on equality basis
By Hussain Kashif
LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday said that the people, who have the ambitions to come to power, should wait until next general elections in 2013.
Addressing the journalists in an oath-taking ceremony of the Lahore Press Club’s executive body members at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, he brushed aside the rumours that the government of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was going to be changed. No miracle will happen before the general elections to be held in 2013, he said, adding that those who were expecting a shortcut should wait until then.
He said that Pakistan wanted good relations with the United States on equality and self-respect basis.
Highlighting the new phase of Pak-US ties, he said that Pervez Musharraf had bowed to the US pressure on a call from Colin Powell, but his government had told the US categorically that Pakistan was a responsible country and would enhance relations with it on equal basis.
The prime minister also said that it was the first time in the history of Pakistan that the army had been made answerable to parliament.
He dispelled the impression that Pakistani foreign policy was made in the General Headquarters (GHQ), saying the formation of foreign policy was the responsibility of the government that could not be accorded to anyone else.
He also said that his government had no conflicts with the army chief or the chief justice of Pakistan, as was the case with previous governments. The government is committed to run the business with the consent of all stakeholders, he said.
Gilani, while criticising the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif, said that becoming the prime minister for the third time was only Nawaz’s issue but the PPP did not create hurdles in the passage of the 18th Amendment to the constitution.
The prime minister supported the formation of new provinces to end sense of deprivation in the people of certain areas. He said that smaller provinces demand autonomy and had a demand been fulfilled earlier, the country would have not broken.
Underlining an important role of journalists in the restoration of democracy and other issues, he said that their sacrifices for the freedom of expression and social liberties had paved the way for rejuvenating the democracy in the country. He said that his government had extended unprecedented freedom of the press, which had not been given by any government in the past.
He said that no hurdle in the freedom of express would be tolerated and PPP MNA Sheri Rehman had also presented a bill in parliament regarding this while the government had restored Press Council Pakistan to address the issues related to the press.
Gilani said that the government had fulfilled its commitment by cancelling all ‘black laws’ of the dictator, which were imposed to curtail the media freedom.
The prime minister announced a grant of Rs 10 million for the Lahore Press Club and assured the journalists community that all other promises made by President Asif Ali Zardari with the journalists would be fulfilled by his government.
Earlier, the prime minister administered oath to office-bearers of the Lahore Press Club. The prime minister observed people would exercise their right to vote in favour of the party having shown best performance and a public service-oriented manifesto in the next general election.
He said that the PPP was the largest party, having roots in all the four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa, Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman Syed Asif Hashmi, Lahore Bar Association President Shahzad Hassan Sheikh, LHC Bar Association President Asghar Gil, People’s Lawyers Forum President Sardar Khurram Latif Khosa and a large number of lawyers were present on the occasion.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk