Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani emphasised on Tuesday that President Pervez Musharraf must address parliament as it is a constitutional obligation. Besides, it would help strengthen democracy and the supremacy of parliament.
Without mincing words, Prime Minister Gilani called upon the president to perform his constitutional obligation of addressing the joint sitting of parliament. "The president has not addressed parliament for many years though the Constitution says that it is a must for the president to do so," said a composed and confident Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Attired in smart western suit, Prime Minister Gilani gave his first formal interview to The News-Jang panel in its "Meet the Future" programme here at his official residence. "The president has his own constitutional powers and obligations as enshrined in the Constitution," said the prime minister while responding to the question that some political circles, including his coalition partner, the Pakistan Muslim League-N and the legal fraternity, are pressing hard that the president should step down or face impeachment.
During his 55-minute interview covering a wide range of issues, Prime Minister Gilani took some pinching questions with superb confidence. Without committing himself to any particular mode of action Prime Minister Gilani said the government would take decisions on such matters after consulting its allies, though each coalition partner has its own programme and priorities.
"We just want to follow the Constitution in letter and spirit," said the prime minister, who again made a reference that it is obligatory under the Constitution that the president addresses the parliament. "It is regrettable that the president has not addressed parliament for so many years." He, however, hoped that the president would address the joint sitting of the new parliament.
About the president’s resignation, he said the question must be put to the president. "On impeachment of the president, we should not act in haste but consult the coalition partners," said Gilani with a cautious approach.
The prime minister said that the people of Pakistan would soon hear the "good news" in the context of judges, as the restoration of the judges or independent judiciary are the issues for which the PPP has struggled as much as any other party or community.
The Pakistan Peoples’ Party, maintained the prime minister, has played a "lead role" and has given sacrifices for the judges issue. He commended Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan for leading the campaign for the restoration of the judges and proudly claimed that Ahsan belonged to the PPP. "Public meetings at the Constitutional Avenue, in Rawalpindi, Karachi and other cities were held by the PPP and its leaders rose to the occasion," said the prime minister, who recalled that during those days he was put in a Multan Police lock-up for three days.
Gilani said the present government believes that every body should be answerable to parliament, be it the president, the prime minister, the cabinet ministers or the bureaucracy. "The committee system would be strengthened and its proceedings would be witnessed by the media as a watchdog," he added.
A sovereign parliament, said the prime minister, ensures that every one acts in accordance with the role laid down in the Constitution. "Any ‘interference’ in the smooth working of an institution would be detrimental to the system and other institutions," Gilani maintained. The elected coalition government, Gilani said, has exemplary working relations with the armed forces and the country’s defence is impregnable. "We are proud of our armed forces."
Answering a question about Indo-Pak relations, Gilani said the relations between the two neighbouring South Asian countries were good during the ZAB’s time and progress was achieved during the times of Benazir Bhutto (Shahaeed) and Nawaz Sharif.
Rajiv Gandhi visited Pakistan in 1988 and Vajpayee came to Pakistan in early 1999 during the Nawaz Sharif’s government and he visited Minar-e-Pakistan and signed a declaration for the resolution of the core Kashmir issue through peaceful means.
"We would hold dialogue with India on the basis of equality, mutual respect and honour for living as good neighbouring nations," said Gilani, adding, "the core Kashmir issue must be resolved in accordance with the UN resolutions and in line with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir."
On price-hike and flour shortage, the prime minister said had the support price of wheat been increased last September the situation would have been different today. The delay in increasing the support price of wheat, he added, compounded the problem.
When asked about power shortage and load-shedding in the country, particularly his home city Multan where people took to the streets, Gilani said Multan was chosen for agitation so that the media flashed the news all across Pakistan.
He said the release of Baloch leader Akhtar Mengal was a provincial matter and now the provincial government would take up this issue. "We are opposed to Army operation in Balochistan…we will get briefing on this matter before devising a strategy to handle the situation."
On the local government system and its future, the prime minister said the devolution of power was conceived during the PPP time when governor Kamal Asfar was asked to present a programme of devolving power at the local level.
"I think holding non-party elections was a folly and we would redress it by holding party-based local government elections to strengthen the system," said Gilani. He said this would throw up new political leadership, and reminded that he himself started his political career from the level of district government.
He was of the view that the party and the government offices should be separated and he would vacate the party office in accordance with the party policy. On the question of releasing nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, he said no doubt A Q Khan is a national hero who successfully carried out Pakistan’s nuclear programme launched by ZAB. He, however, said that the question of releasing A Q Khan should be put to those who had arrested him.
"It is not surprising that Bilawal Zardari Bhutto is more popular than US President Bush, as it is not a matter of age but political legacy of the Bhutto family which gave sacrifices for the people, for democracy and for the supremacy of the Constitution," said Prime Minister Gilani in response to a question seeking his views on Bilawal being more popular than Bush.
He said the Bhuttos sacrificed their lives for noble cause and such sacrifices have no parallel in any other country and that is why the Bhutto family is so popular the world over. Bilawal’s mother, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, and his grandfather ZAB embraced shahadat for democracy and the rule of law, and this has not happened in any other country.
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