Gilani says govt or Opp. makes no difference for him to serve masses
LAHORE, July 9 (APP)- Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that it makes no difference for him to be in the government or in the opposition for public service.He was talking to Lahore Press Club’s Governing Body members headed by its President Sarmid Bashir at his DHA residence here Saturday.Federal Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan was also present.The Prime Minister said it is  not necessary that one should be a Prime Minister or on treasury side to serve the masses. “I don’t mind to sit on opposition benches in the parliament, as I have no lust for power but my motto is to work for the betterment of the  people of Pakistan,” he added.
To a question, the Prime Minister said that an effective strategy had been chalked out, which would help improve law and order situation in Karachi at the earliest.He added that they had given the concept of Commissioner system under which an effective governance could be ensured.
The PML-F Chief Pir Sahib Pagaro had also supported this system, he said, asserting, ‘We will take all the political parties on board while implementing the commissioner system.’
Gilani said that his government had the credit of having resolved all controversial and long-pending issues including the NFC Award, 18th amendment, internal autonomy of Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan Package, as well as waging an effective war against terrorism specially in Swat and other tribal areas. “Though issues are being raised one after the other, the PPP government is settling all these problems in an amicable manner,” he  maintained.
He said, the government was keeping well in view the supreme national interest while maintaining relations with the foreign countries including the US,adding, instead of bowing to any foreign pressure, we talk about mutual interest.
“We will ever do what is in the interest of Pakistan and its people,” he said.
To another question, he said that in his view, non-holding of local government election means depriving the people of their rights, adding, if Punjab government holds the LG polls, the PPP would extend its support in  this regard and he, as Prime Minister, would also support it. After the 18th amendment, he said that he had asked all the four chief ministers to sit together for evolving a uniform policy on the local governments.
The Prime Minister said that PPP was following the vision of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, who used to say that ‘democracy is the best revenge. 
From the day first, the present PPP government had not resorted to any  political vengeance and had been adhering to the politics of reconciliation,he asserted. The PPP government, he said, had so for ensured 80 percent implementation on the Charter of Democracy.
Under the 17th amendment, he said, they had ensured the right of becoming Prime Minister for third time to Mian Nawaz Sharif, adding, it was  PML-N, which itself parted ways with PPP at federal and provincial (Punjab)  government level. However, the PPP would not let the Punjab government to be destabilized, as it wanted continuation of the parliamentary process, so that masses’ confidence in their representatives could be restored that they (parliamentarians) had the ability to run the government in a effective manner.
Gilani said, the PPP and PML-Q alliance was not an individual to  individual but a ‘party to party’ alliance, however, in Punjab government, there was ‘change of hearts’.
To another question, he said, there should be more provinces, if  people want so to end their sense of deprivation, citing, the founders of  1973 Constitution had introduced the bi-cameral system under which Senate (Upper House) was formed with equal representation from all the provinces just to end the sense of deprivation of the small provinces.
To another question, he said, the government had added 2000 mega watts  electricity in the national grid, which was not an easy task, asserting, other projects of same capacity are in the pipeline. The government inherited the power circular debt from the last regime and resolved it substantially, while, the
overall subsidy on electricity had been withdrawn just to improve the economic situation, and as on today, Pakistan foreign reserved scaled up to $ 18 billion,and exports expanded to $ 25 billion.
The Prime Minister said the government had convened an Energy Summit last year and a number of measures were decided to save energy but a many  other events/issues shadowed these. However, ‘we are preparing to call such a conference again for an effective implementation on energy conservation  steps.