PPP confronted four dictators: Gilani
KUWAIT, Feb 15 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had confronted and defeated four dictators and was not impressed by those talking of revolution in the country. Addressing a large gathering of Pakistanis on the second day of his visit to Kuwait, the Prime Minister dismissed likelihood of developments in Pakistan on the pattern of revolutions in Tunis and Egypt and said no one could claim to be more revolutionary than the PPP.
He said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto preferred to give his life rather than bowing before a dictator, and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto also sacrificed her life for the cause of democracy.
The Prime Minister said that the PPP leaders and workers faced jails, lashes and even went into exile, but never accepted the dictators to ensure the rights of people, which was also a golden example for the other nations to follow.
Prime Minister Gilani lauded the important role and contribution of expatriate Pakistanis across the world, including Kuwait, in strengthening the country’s economy and image building.
He assured complete assistance of the government to the expatriates in addressing their problems.
“You remit significant portion of your hard earnings to Pakistan and this precious foreign exchange contributes a lot in strengthening country’s economy. Whenever the country required your support in testing time, you played you role with open heart and I salute your patriotism, sense of responsibility and generosity,” he remarked.
Referring to his meetings with the Kuwati leadership as well as the representatives of Kuwait Chambers of Commerce and Industry and heads of other important institutions, Gilani said that he raised the problems being faced by around 150,000 Pakistanis, including difficulties in getting visas.
The Prime Minister said that he also took the matter of enhancing quota for Pakistani workers in Kuwait. He was happy to share with the community that the Kuwaiti authorities not only agreed with his views but also promised to fully cooperate and extend their support in this respect, he added.
Gilani also apprised the community of the measures being taken by the present democratic government in Pakistan for confronting various challenges, tackling the menace of terrorism and militancy as well as its efforts to strengthen relations with other countries.
The Prime Minister said that with a vibrant and effective parliament in place, independent judiciary, pro-democracy establishment and free media, the state institutions in the country were performing their duty within their parameters.
“We instead of strengthening our government and rule, are bolstering the democratic culture. With a clear conscience, we always consider ourselves to be answerable to the people and courts,” he said.
The Prime Minister said,”the PPP-led government does not mind the criticism of the opposition and media, rather takes such criticism for correction.” He added that at present no one from media or a political worker was in government custody or jail, with no restriction on any newspaper, radio or a television channel.
Gilani said that the present government considered its responsibility and accorded high priority to resolving the problems of Pakistanis in Kuwait. He had directed the Interior Ministry to ensure immediate provision of Machine Readable Passports (MRP) for the Pakistanis in Kuwait. He assured this facility would be available soon.
He also assured the Pakistani community that Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) would conduct a survey for the establishment of a Pakistani school in Kuwait, for the provision of quality education to the children of Pakistani expatriates in Kuwait.
The Prime Minister said that he had also discussed with the Kuwaiti authorities the provision of land for the construction of Pakistan’s Embassy here and hoped that after the allotment of land the construction would start soon.