No confrontation with SC; Govt to implement all decisions as per Constitution, law: PM
ISLAMABAD, Nov 30 (APP): Rejecting the notion of any confrontation between the Government and Supreme Court over NRO issue, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has categorically stated that all verdicts of the apex court would be implemented in letter and spirit in line with the Constitution and law. “There is no confrontation with the Supreme Court. Was it not our right to go for a review in the NRO decision? The Supreme Court rejected the review petition, it was their right,” Gilani said in an interview with a private television channel aired on Wednesday. The Prime Minister said even before going for the review of NRO verdict, the government was implementing the decision under which a number of people and senior government officials including the Interior Minister faced court trials - a fact also appreciated by the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
When asked if the government would write a letter to Swiss authorities, Gilani said, the government would implement the SC verdict as per the Constitution and law.
 The Prime Minister, however, regretted that contrary to some others who got themselves cleared from cases through plea-bargains and joined the Musharraf government as ministers, the leaders and workers of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) including himself courageously faced the cases of National Accountability Bureau.
 “All cases against Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and her family were concocted by Saif-ur-Rehman, whose credibility is questionable,” Gilani recalled and added the PPP being a party with an ideology, did not opt for plea bargains and faced the cases.
 To a question about the case against the government’s policy of Rental Power Projects (RPPs) being pursued by Faisal Saleh Hayat, a Federal Minister, in the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister said Faisal had approached the SC on this issue when he was in opposition.
 Gilani, however, added that it was his magnanimity that Faisal Saleh Hayat despite being a federal minister, was contesting the case against the government.
 In response to a question about the reservations of Chaudhry Nisar, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Prime Minister said it was the PPP government which appointed the Leader of Opposition as Chairman of PAC on the very first day, adding, whereas the PPP despite having required numbers was not given the slot of opposition leader for two years during the Musharraf regime.
 “How could the PAC recover billions of rupees without the support of government,” he added.
 To a question about giving the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, the Prime Minister said the issue was being confused with the impression among masses as if India was being declared as most favoured nation, adding, rather it pertains to non-discrimination in bilateral trade as Pakistan has such agreements with around 100 countries in the world.
 The Prime Minister said the Federal Cabinet gave a go ahead in principle to the Ministry of Commerce, which had submitted a summary in this respect, to discuss balance of trade with India.
 He, however, said that the government was taking on board all the stakeholders including the chambers of commerce and trade bodies and would take a decision in line with national interests.
 About economic challenges, the Prime Minister emphasized that the government, which inherited a poor economy, had been striving hard to steer the country’s economy out of woods despite the challenges of global recession, war or terror and floods.
He said most of the economic indicators like forex reserves, workers remittances and exports were all times high.
 About tax on agriculture income, the Prime Minister said it was a provincial subject.