ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday reiterated his government’s resolve not to take any step against national interest and said that the government has taken a tougher stance with the Americans on the Raymond Davis case.
“The government stance is the same as that of the people of Pakistan and there is no backdoor options for the release of American citizen as we have already differed on this issue with the United States,” he said while talking to newsmen after the addressing the International Seerat Conference here on Monday.
Asked about the difference in the stance of the government with that of former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the prime minister said the government has taken tougher stance on this issue than the former foreign minister. “The matter is in the courts and we will abide by the courts’ decision,” he added.
Replying to a question, he said that the government always took a strong stance against drone attacks at diplomatic level with the US. “We are against the drone attacks but we cannot go on a war. We are using diplomatic channels to convey our apprehensions against the drone attacks stressing that these attacks would be counterproductive,” he added.
To a probing question from a journalist about the fate of the unanimous resolution of Parliament, he posed a counter question: “Please tell me which points of the resolution were not implemented? We have always taken the issue of war on terror before the Parliament and carried out operation against terrorists in the light of suggestions given by the parliament,” he said.
The prime minister regretted that a handful of elements were damaging the perception of Islam which meant peace and brotherhood. He declared that promotion of interfaith harmony is a must to remove this negative image. He said that the Seerat-un-Nabi Conference has been arranged to highlight the real image of Islam which is thereligion of peace and tranquillity. When asked to offer comment on the latest statement of Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, the prime minister expressed hope that the MQM would continue to remain an ally of the government.
He refrained from giving a direct answer to a question about Supreme Court directive to remove the FIA DG, and only said that the matter was sub judice. However, he said that if all the institutions work within their constitutional ambit then there would be no problem.
Asked about the fate of the All Parties Conference envisaged by the government against the new wave of terrorism in the country, the prime minister said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had also contacted him on the directions of the Mian Nawaz Sharif and he would give his detailed reply soon on this issue. “I would soon be meeting the parliamentary leaders to chart out a course of action to meet all sorts of challenges the country is facing,” he said.
When asked about the demands of the treasury and opposition made in the National Assembly for resignation of Interior Minister Rehman Malik for alleged security lapse after the murder of Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti, the prime minister said that once he received the findings of the investigation then a decision would be taken. “The interior minister has also mentioned it,” he added.
Asked to comment on the recent statement of Pir Pagaro in which he declared that Shah Mahmood Qureshi could be the next prime minister, Gilani said Shah Mehmood Qureshi was very much part of Pakistan People’s Party.
Asked about the meeting held at the residence of Mualana Fazlur Rehman, ostensibly to form an opposition alliance, the prime minister said that he did not feel any threat from it and said in a lighter vein that a strong opposition would make him strong.
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“The government stance is the same as that of the people of Pakistan and there is no backdoor options for the release of American citizen as we have already differed on this issue with the United States,” he said while talking to newsmen after the addressing the International Seerat Conference here on Monday.
Asked about the difference in the stance of the government with that of former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the prime minister said the government has taken tougher stance on this issue than the former foreign minister. “The matter is in the courts and we will abide by the courts’ decision,” he added.
Replying to a question, he said that the government always took a strong stance against drone attacks at diplomatic level with the US. “We are against the drone attacks but we cannot go on a war. We are using diplomatic channels to convey our apprehensions against the drone attacks stressing that these attacks would be counterproductive,” he added.
To a probing question from a journalist about the fate of the unanimous resolution of Parliament, he posed a counter question: “Please tell me which points of the resolution were not implemented? We have always taken the issue of war on terror before the Parliament and carried out operation against terrorists in the light of suggestions given by the parliament,” he said.
The prime minister regretted that a handful of elements were damaging the perception of Islam which meant peace and brotherhood. He declared that promotion of interfaith harmony is a must to remove this negative image. He said that the Seerat-un-Nabi Conference has been arranged to highlight the real image of Islam which is thereligion of peace and tranquillity. When asked to offer comment on the latest statement of Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, the prime minister expressed hope that the MQM would continue to remain an ally of the government.
He refrained from giving a direct answer to a question about Supreme Court directive to remove the FIA DG, and only said that the matter was sub judice. However, he said that if all the institutions work within their constitutional ambit then there would be no problem.
Asked about the fate of the All Parties Conference envisaged by the government against the new wave of terrorism in the country, the prime minister said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had also contacted him on the directions of the Mian Nawaz Sharif and he would give his detailed reply soon on this issue. “I would soon be meeting the parliamentary leaders to chart out a course of action to meet all sorts of challenges the country is facing,” he said.
When asked about the demands of the treasury and opposition made in the National Assembly for resignation of Interior Minister Rehman Malik for alleged security lapse after the murder of Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti, the prime minister said that once he received the findings of the investigation then a decision would be taken. “The interior minister has also mentioned it,” he added.
Asked to comment on the recent statement of Pir Pagaro in which he declared that Shah Mahmood Qureshi could be the next prime minister, Gilani said Shah Mehmood Qureshi was very much part of Pakistan People’s Party.
Asked about the meeting held at the residence of Mualana Fazlur Rehman, ostensibly to form an opposition alliance, the prime minister said that he did not feel any threat from it and said in a lighter vein that a strong opposition would make him strong.
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