Pakistan Views

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was given briefing on defence and operational preparedness of Pak Army on his visit to General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi Wednesday morning.
Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaque Pervez Kyani received the prime minister on his arrival at the GHQ. Minister of Defence Ahmed Mukhtar was also accompanied with the prime minister.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said Pakistan and Bangladesh are bound in enduring ties of shared faith, history and culture and both countries need to further strengthen their bilateral relations in all fields.He was talking to Dr Iftikhar Ahmed, Advisor for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, who called on him here at the Prime Minister Secretariat this afternoon.Prime Minister urged the need for enhancing people to people contacts, frequent exchange of business delegations and high level visits from both sides in order to understand each other and help in promoting cooperation in all fields including economic, political, diplomatic, education, defence and security matters.Dr Iftikhar conveyed the greetings of the leadership and the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh to the Prime Minister for assuming his office and obtaining unanimous vote of confidence.He also extended the invitation from the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh to the Prime Minister to visit Bangladesh at his earliest convenience. Talking about the need for cooperation among South Asian nations the Prime Minister said there is a lot of potential in these countries and they can share the best practices with each other.Pakistan, he said, considers Saarc an important organization to promote regional cooperation, peace, prosperity and harmony in South Asia, which should be further energized to meet its true potential.Advisor for Foreign Affairs said that Bangladesh attaches high priority to its relations with Pakistan since both countries have commonality of views on international and regional issues.He expressed the hope that Pakistan would soon rejoin the Commonwealth and Bangladesh would support Pakistan in this regard.The Advisor also underlined the need for further promotion of relations in the fields of trade, economic, shipping, cultural and education.He said both the countries have strong historical ties and are contributing towards peace and development in South Asia.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said the PPP would take along all its coalition partners to steer the country out of the challenges it is facing today.The issues including revival of superior court judges will be taken with consensus of the coalition partners, said Prime Minister Gilani here Monday. Talking to journalists after inaugurating the bio-technological department at the Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) the Prime Minister said Maulana Fazlur Rahman and other allies are members of the committee on independence of the judiciary and any decision would be taken with consensus and there are no differences on the issue.To a question he said MQM enjoys a substantial political support in Karachi, that is why it has been included in the Sindh cabinet and the PML-N has no reservations on this coalition.He said to maintain law and order is top priority of his government as without it progress is not possible.Governor Punjab Lt Gen (R) Khalid Maqbool, Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Zafarullah and secretary higher education Punjab Ms Arifa Saboohi were also present.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said government will ensure the supremacy of Parliament along with preserving the Constitution. Addressing a self-employment scheme ceremony organized by Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, the PM said Parliament would no more be a rubber stamp institution and political consensus from all coalition partners would be the driving force behind new government. The PM said to serve the nation was his government’s top priority. He said institutions would be protected and supremacy of the Parliament would be ensured.He said around 25 percent of country’s population were living below the line of poverty, while 56 percent constituted the middle class, living at the threshold. He added that it was government’s endeavor to maintain balance by increasing the middle class. He said the government was endeavoring to bridge the divide between the rich and the poor.The Prime Minister pointed that 53 items have shown an increase of 12.2 percent in their prices and was continuing to increase. He said this was a strong cause of concern in the society about the shortage of electricity and gas and rising prices of everyday commodities.He addded that these crises were not created overnight but were the result of wrong policies that have created this situation. However, he said the government was in the process of taking steps to improve the situation, as the nation has reposed confidence on the new leadership.He said vocational training was being provided to the people so that they may turn out to be useful citizens of the society and contribute to the national economy.Gilani reaffirmed his commitment to ensure free judiciary and press in the country so that people could get justice.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the government will restore 1973 Constitution, reinstate deposed judges, strengthen democratic institutions and ensure independence of judiciary and media. He said this while addressing a public meeting at Army Cavalry Ground here on Saturday evening.This was his first visit to his hometown after becoming Prime Minister. He said that PPP has shut the mouths of those people who said that PPP was a family party and nobody else could become Prime Minister. “I am very much thankful to Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto who have trusted me,” he added.Gillani said: “People have given us the mandate and we will try to prove ourselves up to their expectations. We will provide basic facilities to all the backward cities, including Multan. We will provide such a system so that people would not commit suicide.”He said that that the coalition government was going on very well. “We will take the country out of the crisis. We will ensure provision of clothing, bread and shelter to everybody.” He said: “I will stay in Multan for two days and will announce a package for the citizens of Multan, and our first priority is to provide job opportunities and to take such steps due to which there would be prosperity in the country.”Earlier, the Prime Minister was given a warm welcome on his arrival at the airport. Punjab Chief Minister Dost Muhammad Khosa, Governor Khalid Maqbool, MNA’s, MPA’s, nazims, leaders and workers of PPP and hundreds of citizens were present at the airport to welcome their leader. Hundreds of workers and activists broke the security circle and reached straightaway to the plane. Security teams were totally helpless to control the excited crowd. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in his address: “We will take the revenge of the murder of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto from the system which has assassinated her.” He said that public has given a common mandate to PPP and PML-N, “and we really respect it”.He said that it was due to the assassination of Benazir that “we are standing on this place” and the sun of democracy has risen again. The cloud of dictatorship has gone now. He said that “our opponents claimed that the government of PPP would be formed in the centre but not in the province. But in the provinces also our government has been formed”. In Sindh and Balochistan the chief ministers are from PPP while in other two provinces the chief ministers are from the coalition parties.He said that the people of Punjab have proved that PPP is also popular in Punjab. “Our opponents are trying to create hurdles, but we will face the crisis. We are not against anyone; we just wanting prosperity in the country.” He said: “The former government could not produce even single mega watt electricity in 8 years, and it is fully responsible for the entire crisis which we are facing now including electricity, wheat, water etc. We know that a severe protest was held in Multan against load shedding, but we are trying our best to tackle the problem.”The Prime Minister, without even caring about the security problem, went to the shrine of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya with Shah Mehmood Qureshi. There they offered fateha. The schedule was that the Prime Minister would go to the shrine in helicopter. Later on, Gillani went to the shrine Hazrat Musa Pak where he offered Fateha and put a wreath. The city was decorated with the reception banners and hoarding boards. Reception camps were established on different roundabouts. Tight security arrangements were made in the city.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf RazaGilani Wednesday said the people of Kashmir have offered sacrifices for their right of self-determination and assured that these sacrifices would not go in vain.Yousuf Raza Gilani was addressing the joint sitting of AJK Legislative Assembly and AJK Council after his arrival here.He said his government would hold meaningful talks with India for resolution of the Kashmir issue. Gilani said Pakistan has always pursued the path of peace and wants opportunities for the Kashmiris on both sides to meet each other. He called for promotion of tourism and trade across the line of control. He said solution of Kashmir issue was essential for the regional development. Gilani said that the AJK legislators will be included in Pakistan delegations. In the next federal budges Rs. Five million grant will be allocated for every member of the AJK Assembly, he further said. He promised to prepare strategy for setting up a women university in Azad Kashmir. He said the earthquake rehabilitation work will be stepped up in the region.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Saturday said the resilience and steadfastness displayed by people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir after the catastrophic earthquake in 2005 was a reflection of their determination to face challenges.He was talking to a delegation of PPP Azad Jammu and Kashmir led by PPP AJK President, Chaudhry Abdul Majeed which called on him here at the PM Secretariat this evening. Prime Minister said the role of People’s Party workers during the difficult post earthquake period reflected their commitment to serve the people.He expressed the confidence that the same spirit would facilitate the cause of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with their aspirations.Prime Minister said the present government has inherited a number of problems including food inflation and energy shortage.He said the government is committed to providing relief to people. In this regard, he added, a 100-day austerity programme is underway for which various initiatives are being taken. Prime Minister said the majority of Pakistanis have voted for the democratic forces in recent general elections, which showed their confidence in development-oriented and progressive programmes for future. President PPP AJK informed Gilani that in the 2005 earthquake four districts of AJK were badly affected where nearly 50,000 people were killed whereas numerous others were injured.He asked for special efforts to accelerate the reconstruction of the destructed areas as well as payment of compensation for all affected people those who have still not been compensated.The delegation invited the Prime Minister to visit the earthquake affected districts to get first hand information about the difficulties of the people. Participants apprised the Prime Minister of various issues relating to AJK, including provision of electricity, gas and construction of roads. They informed him that Kashmiri people are appreciative of the government’s decision to lift ban on trade and students unions. The delegation also congratulated the Prime Minister on assuming his responsibilities as the head of the coalition government.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said Pakistan accords high priority to its close relationship with China and was keen to further expand these in all spheres. Talking to the Foreign Minister of China Yang Jiechi, who called on him here at Prime Minister House, the Prime Minister said Pakistan and China enjoy a broad-based relationship and the two countries were actively cooperating in political, diplomatic, social, economic and defence fields.He said China was Pakistan’s strategic partner, all-weather and time-tested friend. Pakistan enjoys a relationship with China that is based on strong trust, abiding cooperation and understanding of each other’s positions. This friendship withstood changes in the international environment, as is based on mutual trust, unanimity of views on important regional and international issues, he added. During the meeting there was a unanimity of views further increasing trade, investments and cooperation in fields of defence, science and technology, education besides enhancing people to people contact.Prime Minister said Pakistan was confronting challenges of food and energy, security and the government was working on short and long term measures to overcome these.He said his government would welcome Chinese cooperation in this regard to effectively deal with these problems at the earliest.Referring to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China, the Prime Minister said that FTA would open up new avenues between the two countries to further enhance their trade.He said the government was providing several incentives to the Chinese to invest in Pakistan so that the economic ties between the two counties could be further strengthened.On the issue of terrorism, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan was committed to curb terrorism and extremism in all its forms and manifestation through multi-pronged strategy including political engagements, economic development and security measures. Yang Jiechi said that his government and the people of China always regard Pakistan as their true friend and hoped that existing relations between the two countries would further gain momentum in future. He said China and Pakistan were strategic partners and hoped their relation would grow further in time to come particularly in economic field. He said his government would encourage big companies of China to invest in Pakistan in various sectors. He said the investment of China Mobile in the telecommunication sector was a beginning. The Foreign Minister said China would continue its cooperation with Pakistan in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. He said the people and government of China support their brethren in Pakistan and will work closely with each other to enhance cooperation in every field. Chinese Foreign Minister who conveyed personal greetings of the Chinese Premier to Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on assuming his office also invited the Prime Minister to visit China in the near future, which he accepted and hoped it would be a milestone to further develop relations between the two friendly countries.

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said China is Pakistan’s most trusted friend and has always stood by Pakistan.The PM met visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in the federal capital. He said Pakistan was facing challenges in food and energy sectors and the Chinese government was assisting Pakistan to overcome these challenges. Regarding Free Trade Agreement, the PM said this would strengthen bilateral relations and Pakistan has provided many facilities to Chinese investors. He said Pakistan had become an investor friendly destination. Yousaf Raza Gilani said Pakistan would continue efforts to curb extremism and terrorism.The Chinese FM said his country was giving Rs. 70 million aid in various technical and economic projects. Yang Jiechi also met chairman Senate Mian Muhammad Soomro. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi and other NA members were also present in the meeting.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday that PPP would continue to pursue the policy of reconciliation as it wanted to take along all political parties.He was talking to the media persons after meeting the PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif at his residence at Raiwind. Asked whether the process of talks for reconciliation with the MQM was over, he said, “There are ups and downs in politics, but the policy to seek reconciliation will continue.”Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister Punjab Dost Muhammad Khosa, Zulfiqar Khosa, Hussain Nawaz and Hamza Shahbaz were also present on the occasion.To a question, the Prime Minister said that decisions on all issues would be taken in consultation with the coalition partners.Regarding the recent demonstration in Multan, he said, “The power and flour crises are the result of the wrong policies of the previous regime, and the present government will overcome all these problems with the cooperation of the masses.”He said miscreants were involved in the incidents in Multan who wanted to divert people’s attention from the real issues, adding that they probably targeted Multan as the Prime Minister is from there.Gilani urged people to remain peaceful to foil the evil designs of such elements and ensure peace in the country which was vital for economic development.To a question about the future of President Musharraf, he said, “The decision in this regard will be taken according to the constitution”.Regarding reinstatement of the deposed judges, he said, “We are committed to take steps in this regard as per the Bhurban Declaration”.To another question, the PM said, “I have come here to meet Nawaz Sharif, and have a close association with him since long. When he was the finance minister of Punjab, I was chairman District Council Multan, and we enjoyed a good relationship”.