Pakistan Views

Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani will be visiting US from July 28 on the special invitation of US President George W. Bush.PM Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani reaching Washington on July 28 will be meeting President Bush besides other US high officials.
US President, George W. Bush had invited PM Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. Key-issues relating to global and regional matters besides the global war against terrorism will come under discussions during the PM visit to US.

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani at the end of his three day visit to Saudi Arabia told the accompanying media team that there was a strong desire in the Saudi leadership for further building on their existing ties, with a special focus on cooperation in trade and energy sectors. Gilani, who met King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in Jeddah, said Saudi Arabia has also assured Pakistan of getting a positive response from the Gulf Cooperation Council to sign a Free Trade Agreement with Pakistan. He said a major breakthrough has been achieved in the area of food and agriculture and said a Saudi delegation will visit Pakistan next month to enter a meaningful dialogue for extended cooperation in modern farming, livestock and dairy development. Gilani said the two countries also agreed to continue cooperation in energy and petroleum sectors on short and long term basis. He said there have been meetings between the Pakistani ministers for petroleum, agriculture and commerce with their Saudi counterparts and the co-chairperson of Pakistan People Party Asif Ali Zardari has extended his stay in the kingdom to follow up on the decisions taken at the meeting.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has rejected any pressures on the issue of restoration of judiciary and judges and said that existence of two parallel chief justices is not possible. Addressing a press conference Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan People’s Party wants restoration of the 1973 constitution and freedom media and judiciary. He said his govt would not accept any pressure regarding restoration of deposed judges and the judiciary. Gillani said the differences with the Muslim League-N were limited to the procedure of restoration of the judges. “We want restoration of the deposed judges,” he said. He said Pakistan is determined against terrorism and extremism adding that his government would not hold talks with the terrorists.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday expressed grief over the loss of lives in China due to massive earthquake, and said Pakistan stands by its brotherly country in this difficult hour.“The loss of human lives in China is also considered a loss for Pakistan. I assure you that at this odd hour, we are with you and stand by you,” the Prime Minister said during his visit to Chinese embassy to offer condolence with the ambassador on quake tragedy.The Prime Minister expressed sorrow over the colossal loss of lives and property in Sichuan province in the wake of 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the region, killing more than 15,000 people. In his comments in the visitors’ book placed at the embassy, the Prime Minister wrote, “In these moments of grief for the Chinese people, the whole Pakistani nation join me in extending the families of the deceased most profound condolences.”The Prime Minister said he also conveyed his condolence to the Premier of the State Council and assured solidarity with the people of China.“We hope that the great Chinese nation will overcome the tragic phase at the soonest,” he said.Later in a separate meeting with the Ambassador of China Luo Zhaohui, the President expressed sorrow over the tragic incident that claimed thousands of lives.Gilani said Pakistan enjoys excellent relations with China, which stands as a cornerstone of its foreign policy.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani believes his government will survive its full term and key ally PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif will not withdraw support despite serious differences within Pakistan’s new ruling coalition on the tricky issue of reinstating dozens of judges.
Questions are being raised about the future of the two-month-old coalition led by Gilani after talks in London between PML-N chief Nawaz and PPP co-chairman to work out modalities for reinstating the deposed judges ended in deadlock over the weekend.The two parties have already missed the self-imposed deadline of April 30 for restoring the judges who were deposed for not endorsing last year’s emergency rule and Nawaz has been insisting that they should be reinstated by May 12. However, Zardari has not committed himself to this fresh deadline or agreed on a plan to reinstate the judges. Despite the sharp differences, Gilani said he believed the PML-N would not withdraw its ministers from his government even if the May 12 deadline is missed. “He (Nawaz) will support the government. Certainly,” Gilani told Indian interviewer Karan Thapar on the programme “India Tonight”.Asked about senior PML-N leader Javed Hashmi’s threat that the party will withdraw from the government if the judges are not restored, he said, “”This is (putting) a cart before the horse. Because they haven’t as yet decided what would be the fate. And even if they have to take a decision, then it is at the level of Nawaz and Zardari.”"But later, the modalities were to be worked out and then Nawaz gave the date for (May 12). Now both the leaders Nawaz and Zardari are meeting…in London and what would be the outcome, everybody would come to know.”Replying to a question on whether Nawaz trusted him and is prepared to accept his intention to reinstate the judges, Gilani said, “He is a very mature leader. I think there is no doubt about it.”The PPP’s intention is to resolve the issue, he said, adding: “But at the same time, we are working out the modalities and for example, if they (parliament) pass something which is not constitutional, it will be a problem. Therefore, we are working out the modalities for that.”
Gilani said he had “very good relations” with Zardari and dismissed speculation that the PPP co-chairman has the power while the Prime Minister is just a “front”. He said, “That is not true. We work collectively but I am the consensus, unanimous Prime Minister.”He added: “It’s a democratic party and the party has decided that the two offices should not be kept together. I was vice chairman of my party. Now the party office and the government office would be separated. He (Zardari) will be looking after the party affairs; I’ll be looking after the government affairs.”Asked whether Zardari makes the decisions and he implements them, Gilani said: “The party takes the decisions on policy matters…because we have decided that in future there should be more democracy within the party and the party should make the policies and they should be implemented and executed by the government.”Replying to a question on whether he had to defer to Zardari and Nawaz on key issues, Gilani said, “No, what I think fit, I implement it…If there is a need for consulting, I do it.Gilani said his two main goals are to restore law and order and tackle poverty to improve the people’s lives.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the government would resolve the crises it is facing on all fronts and provide relief to the masses. He was talking to mediamen at the inaugural ceremony of Froebel’s International School here on Saturday.The Prime Minister said that the government has inherited crises of price hike, unemployment, terrorism, extremism and judiciary.”One crisis cannot be mingled with another, we have taken the responsibility and we would provide relief to the masses”, he said.Earlier addressing the school ceremony, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan has rich natural and human resources which could not be fully exploited for socio economic uplift of the country due to lack of educational and training facilities.He said that the government would use its maximum potential to remove the flaws of the educational system by engaging all the stakeholders and bridging the gap between private and public sectors.He said that common curriculum would be prepared for private and public sectors of education. Potentials and experiences of these sectors would be shared with each other for collective success.Gilani said that the examination system would be improved and government would encourage private sector in setting up schools in rural areas.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said there were no differences within the ruling coalition over restoration of deposed judges adding that the matter has been entangled over the procedure and he doesn’t want confrontation among institutions.He was talking to media after meeting with various delegations at state guesthouse in Lahore on Saturday.Gilani said he wants freedom of judiciary adding that the issue of restoration of deposed judges will be resolved in a positive way. The prime minister vowed to protect the constitution and to respect the people’s mandate given to his government. He promised to restore the 1973 constitution. He said that restoration of deposed judges is part of the manifesto of Pakistan People’s Party. Governor of Punjab Khalid Maqbool, Chief Minister Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa and People’s Party’s assembly members from Lahore called on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at state guesthouse.

New premier Yousuf Raza Gilani told US President George W. Bush that a broader approach to the ‘war on terror’ is necessary, including political solutions and development programmes, a statement said. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani made the comments when Bush telephoned him on Tuesday to congratulate him on taking office. Meanwhile, former premier Nawaz Sharif told two US envoys on Tuesday that the new government would review President Pervez Musharraf’s anti-terror policies and focus on what was best for Pakistan. Gilani told Bush “that Pakistan would continue to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations since it is in Pakistan’s own national interest,” said a statement issued late Tuesday by his office.”However, he said that a comprehensive approach is required in this regard, specially combining a political approach with development programmes,” it added.Gilani said that Pakistan was “committed to maintaining long-term close ties with the USA.” Gilani was due to meet with visiting Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher later Wednesday, a day after they met President Musharraf and Sharif, his office said.Sharif said he told Negroponte that a parliamentary committee would look at Musharraf’s policies on curbing militancy, saying the new government wanted to tackle extremism but did not want the country to become a “murder-house.”
Meanwhile Bush used his authority to exempt Pakistan from a law that restricts funding countries where the legitimate head of state was deposed by a military coup, as in Pakistan, the White House said Tuesday.

President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday stressed the need for political forces in the country to get united to effectively confront the challenges of terrorism, extremism and economic issues.
I will extend my full support to him: Musharraf: ‘What is parliament? Parliament is the President, the National Assembly and the Senate…’
In a brief joint interaction with media soon after the swearing-in ceremony of new Prime Minister here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the two leaders expressed the resolve to cooperate and take the country forward on path of progress and prosperity. “I will extend my full support to him, always,” Musharraf said when asked about his role in the new government. The President said all the political forces in the country needed to work together to confront the threats of extremism and terrorism looming ahead. “If we all move forward, maintaining our balance, it will be good, but in this regard the Prime Minister will have to play a leading role,” the President added. The Prime Minister said: “It’s a split mandate, I have to take allied parties along, so Inshallah we will formulate a plan of action so that we can deliver.”
“All forces need to join hands to take the country out of these crises,” Gilani said. “We need support of all. What is parliament? Parliament is the President, the National Assembly and the Senate…therefore we have to ensure supremacy of the parliament,” the Prime Minister said. He said from his parliamentary experiences, he learnt the lesson that institutions need to be strengthened. When asked about his cooperation with the President, he said, Pakistan was on the crossroads and passing through a sensitive phase. “We need the cooperation of everybody.” “The nation has high hopes from us and we need to deliver and if we fail, they would lose all hope.” “I would request it to the nation, the political forces, the President, that together we all should cooperate to take the country out of crises,” Prime Minister Gilani said. About the need for institutional harmony, he said, “if all institutions work according to the constitution, there will be no confrontation.” He said the parliament, judiciary, press, bureaucracy and army all need to play their role according to the constitution. The Prime Minister thanked the nation for its mandate and said it was reflective of the aspirations of the people as to what type of government they want. “We are grateful to the people of Pakistan and the nation and I am proud of my nation and we will live for Pakistan and die for Pakistan.” He said he would announce the 100-day programme at the floor of the house, soon after taking the vote of confidence. He said he was grateful to the President and thanked him for his cooperation. Earlier, the two leaders and their families received the guests at the reception. President Musharraf and Prime Minister Gilani also had a brief separate interaction.