Pakistan will not accept any country’s supremacy in region: PM
ISLAMABAD, Jul 23 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said Pakistan will not accept any country’s hegemony in the region. Talking to newsmen here at PM Secretariat after presiding over 13th annual awards ceremony of National Highways and Motorway Police, the Prime Minister said, “We don’t want any Chaudhry (regional chief) in the region.” The Prime Minister was responding to statement of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in which she urged India to match its economic progress by taking a more assertive political role in Central and East Asia.  Gilani said, Pakistan will not accept hegemony of any country in the region.
Replying to another question about the resignations of MQM Ministers, he said the resignations tendered by Sindh Governor, provincial and federal ministers of the MQM had not been accepted therefore, their status as ministers is still intact.
On a question about the arrest of Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, head of Kashmir Center in Washington, he clarified that Dr. Fai is not a Pakistani citizen, and he was a citizen of Occupied Kashmir.
About Fai’s reported link with a sensitive agency, the Prime Minister said the matter is being investigated and “Let the facts come; we will see it then.”
Replying to a question about law and order situation of Karachi, he said it is a provincial subject and the Federal Government is in touch with the provincial government to improve the situation in this mega city.
The Prime Minister said, “We respect the mandate of the provincial government.” He, however, said Opposition members had requisitioned the sessions of Senate and National Assembly to discuss the law and order situation in Karachi.
Gilani said he especially asked the Chief Whip of National Assembly to ensure the quorum in the session so that the members could discuss the law and order situation of Karachi and it was ensured that there should be no problem of quorum.
He said he himself attended the session and the members expressed their point of view on the Karachi situation.
On the issue of Zafar Qureshi, the Prime Minister said he will give his response to the Apex Court in this regard.
About the financial conditions of Pakistan Railways and shortage of funds, the Prime Minister said, sufficient funds, in billions of rupees, have been provided to Railways to improve its economic conditions.
Regarding any change in the portfolio of Ministry of Railways,
he said Ghulam Ahmed Balour, the Railway Minister is from a coalition partner and
the government has full regard and respect for its coalition partners.
Answering a question about the allegations on Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for fudging in the figures of tax collection, the Prime Minister said the Ministry of Finance has been directed to take notice of these allegations.