ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has clarified that he will appear before the Supreme Court, as he respects the judiciary.
He was addressing the National Assembly after the house passed a resolution in favour of democracy. The ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan had tabled the resolution. He proudly declared in the National Assembly on Monday that the house, by a majority vote, approved the pro-democracy bill.
He congratulated ANP head Asfandyar Wali for moving the resolution in support of democracy; offering thanks his party members, coalition partners and the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazal for passing the resolution.
He contradicted that the government wanted a clash of institutions, saying that the resolution had been moved days before the Supreme Court decision. In his view they wanted to give a message that parliament was not a rubber stamp assembly and that parliament is supreme.
The prime minister said his first words upon being elected prime minister were to demand the release the judges. He said the government wanted no confrontation with any institution including the judiciary and that no one should disgrace the mandate of the elected government.
"We need no certificate to prove our patriotism," he said, citing sacrifices rendered by the leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party for the cause of democracy in the country.
The premier said that he was arrested for renovating parliament and for literally putting a roof on the National Assembly.
He said the originator of the NRO is out but we are being punished, adding that we would not come into pressure by anyone. He said that he convened the session of the assembly on the advice of the allied parties so that a message could be conveyed to the world that Parliament is supreme.
He said in the history of the country he is a unanimously elected prime minister. He said they have not come here to take vote of confidence as we don’t need of it. He said if someone doesn’t like the government they should bring no confidence motion which is the democratic way of change.
He said the government has brought amendments in the constitution and brought resolutions with consensus. He said we respect the judiciary, adding that we have been facing the cases for the last four years.
He said they have been baton-charged for restoration of independent judiciary and faced cases. He said that he is siting on the chair of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Muhtarma Benazir Bhuttto and would protect their vision and Constitution.
The successful adoption of resolution proves parliament is supreme; parliament is sovereign, he said.
NA approves pro-govt resolution, rejects amendments moved by opposition
Islamabad: The Lower House of the Parliament, Monday, approved a resolution in favour of the government by rejecting amendments proposed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other opposition parties with majority vote.
The ANP President, Asfanyar Khan Wali had tabled the movement on Friday.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani congratulated the House and thanked Asfandyar Wali for moving the resolution. The opposition termed passage of the resolution neither beneficial for the system, government nor masses. Online
