Democracy to be defended stoutly: Gilani
KARACHI, March 11 (APP):  Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Friday that democracy would be stoutly defended.He was talking to editors, senior journalists and anchor-persons here at the Governor House. The Prime Minister said that the future of  democracy is bright in the country. He stated that  Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has rendered immense sacrifices for the cause of democracy in the country and has taken practical steps in this  direction. Yusuf Raza Gilani said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had  sacrificed their lives for democracy.
When  PPP is the ruling party  why  would  it want that democracy should fail or derail in the country, Prime Minister Gilani said.
The Prime Minister said that if anyone else has any such desire, the PPP would stoutly defend the democracy.
He said  “we are also committed in our resolve to fight against terrorism and extremism and also to bring about reforms in the country’s economy.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani pointed out that in the fight against terrorism and militancy thousands of  personnel of law enforcement agencies and  people from the civil society and political leadership have sacrificed their lives.
About the challenges being faced by the country, the Prime Minister said that these emanate from the global recession, electricity shortages in the country, the floods of last year and the war on terror.
He said that these have put pressure on the economy of the country and that the government is taking them up on priority.
The Prime Minister made it clear that there was no confrontation between the judiciary and the executive and that it was only a perception.
Regarding the law and order situation in the province, the Prime Minister said that it falls in the ambit of the provincial government.
The Prime Minister also referred to the meeting of the delegation f  Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) with President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the  Co-Chairman  of the PPP, and said that the MQM discussed their issues with the President who assured them to resolve the same.
Regarding the electricity shortages, the Prime Minister recalled the initiatives taken by  Shaheed Mohtarma  Benazir Bhutto during her tenure in 1994.
Prime minister Gilani said that the government has so far added 2,000 MW of electricity to the national grid  and hoped that more  would be added by the end of this year.
 The Prime Minister said that General Fazle Haq, the then Governor of NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), had politicised the Kalabagh Dam issue.
He said that no government had earmarked money for the Kalabagh Dam project.
Gilani said that after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, if there was a difference of opinion between the provinces on a national project, it would be taken up at the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and if it still remained unresolved then it would be brought at the joint sitting of Parliament.
He recalled that when the issue of Diamir- Bhasha came up  he had called a meeting of the CCI, which approved it unanimously.  “Inshallah, I will lay its foundation stone”, he added.
The Prime Minister said that he took a decision on the Thar Coal issue, which had been lingering for 63 years, determining Sindh’s ownership right. The work on this project was being initiated.
He said that 1,100 MWs of rental power was available and that he had asked Federal Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar and the Board of Investment to resolve this issue.
Gilani said that after a long time Pakistan was in a position to export wheat this year, after a long time.
About the Charter of Democracy (COD) signed by  Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto  and Mian Nawaz Sharif, he said “we have implemented 21 out of its 36 points”.
The Prime Minister said that during his tenure Pakistan’s ties with Afghanistan have improved, with ending of the trust deficit between the two countires. Pakistan is a part of the solution and not that of the problem, he added.
He said that as far as ties with the United States are  concerned, “we have taken the strategic dialogue to a new height. We have cooperation in defence, intelligence, economics and other sectors.”
The Prime Minister said that because of a single incident, i.e.  the Raymond Davis issue, the ties between Pakistan and the United States should not be affected.
He said that the matter of Raymond Davis would be decided by the court and that the court verdict would be respected.
Gilani said that efforts were also made for improving ties with India so that the focus should be against the terrorists and militants. Betterment of relations were sought as an equal partner.
Prime Minister Gilani referred to his meetings with his Indian counterpart in Sharm-al-Shaikh and Thimpu and stressed that dialogue should not be kept hostage to a single incident and that “we must go for dialogue”.
He further said that the Indians had agreed and the secretary-level talks would be held this month.
Regarding Balochistan, Prime Minister Gilani said that the basic issue of the province for the past 63 years remained provincial autonomy.
He said,”credit goes to the present government which has given the provincial autonomy. The National Finance Commission (NFC) was signed in the Balochistan town of Gawadar by all the chief ministers”.
He said that the Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan (package) was the beginning of the process.  Up to 7,000 Baloch youths had been provided jobs.
The Prime Minister said,”we are assisting the court” on  the matter pertaining to the missing persons.
He further stated that he would give a policy statement on Balochistan on the floor of the House.
Yousuf Raza Gilani said that he was ready to talk to anyone and pointed out that he had already talked to  the Khan of Kalat and had visited  “the House of Mengal Saheb.”
He said that the Senate was created to address the issue of sense of deprivation of the provinces.
The Prime Minister said that institutions should be strengthened to curb the problems like corruption.
He regretted that the charges of corruption were levelled against the political leadership and not against the dictators.
Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah were also present on the occasion.