PM expresses Pakistan’s concern over catastrophe in Japan
ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP): The Federal Cabinet on Monday expressed its profound grief and expressed solidarity with the Japanese people over the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that reportedly killed over 10,000 people and rendered thousands homeless.Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at the very outset of the meeting expressed his profound grief, agony and sorrow over the heavy loss of life and damage to infrastructure.“The government and the people of Pakistan share grief, agony and sorrow of the government and people of Japan,” the Prime Minister said.
He said Pakistan was assessing the situation and will provide any assistance, possible within its means.
Prime Minister Gilani said Japan has been a very generous friend of Pakistan and one of the main donors that has funded extensively in economic and social development projects of Pakistan.
He pointed that japan provided around US $ 20 Million for relief and rescue operation last year when Pakistan was confronted with a natural catastrophe.
Prime Minister Gilani asked his Cabinet colleagues to bring on record all agreements and MoUs signed so far, give an update on the current status and a road map for achieving the targets as agreed upon, with foreign countries.
He also asked cabinet members “to revisit the performance of their Ministries” and to bring up issues having a direct bearing on the life of common man.
“Our performance will be judged by our deeds and not by words,” he added.He said in Punjab the ruling party despite serious reservations on issues of governance tried to maintain a working relationship with the PML (N), “but unfortunately this did not go through and we had to part ways.”
“History will bear testimony to the fact that PPP always stood for principles of fair play and did not compromise on issues of national importance even at the cost of lives of its leaders,” Gilani said and added “we introduced politics of tolerance, magnanimity and democratic norms.”
He said the party has have been in opposition before and was not scared to sit on opposition benches again.
However he emphatically declared that the PPP will not be part of any conspiracy which aims at derailing the system and will never buy loyalties of opposition members through horse trading.
“I believe that today there is a need for politics of reconciliation, harmony and tolerance. Constitutionalism should be every political party’s cherished goal.”
He said politics of confrontation needs to be shunned and all democratic forces show sincerity of purpose, maturity, sagacity and space to their opponents for expressing their views.
On the Raymond Davis issue, Gilani said it will be resolved in the best national interest and according to the aspirations of the nation.
“No fake documents are being prepared to grant diplomatic immunity to the US national or shady deals were being made behind the scenes against public sentiment and law of the land.”
Earlier the Federal Cabinet also prayed for the former Federal Minister and MNA Ch. Khalid Javed Ghurki, husband Ms. Samina Khalid Ghurki.