Premier to consult all parties to implement PML-N demands
Gilani forms a five-member ministerial committee to resolve national issues.
ISLAMABAD:
The government has decided to consult all political parties on how to implement the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) economic and administrative reforms agenda, which the government accepted last week to calm down a brewing political crisis.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday constituted a five-member ministerial committee to establish contacts with the leadership of all political parties in the parliament to obtain proposals for resolving national issues.
Last Sunday, Gilani announced to accept a set of demands from the main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which said it would go for “extreme” anti-government steps if its proposal were rejected.
The party that rules the key Punjab province said it would throw Gilani’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) out of the provincial administration and initiate agitation if its suggestions were not accepted.
The PML-N had made 11 key demands including that the government investigate corruption scandals, reduce non-development spending by one-third and set up an independent election body.
The government’s decision of surrendering to the opposition’s pressure comes on the heels of a similar move a week earlier, when it reversed hike in fuel prices to win back an angry ally.
Though it was also part of Sharif’s demands to the government, the lowering of fuel rates primarily helped Gilani’s administration to bring back the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) into the ruling coalition.
The government briefly lost majority in the parliament after the MQM pulled itself out of the coalition, following a similar move by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) of Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
On Monday, Sharif appointed three key leaders of his league to discuss with the government how his proposal could be implemented upon within 45 days.
But Gilani’s decision of involving other parties suggested the premier wants to make it a national agenda, which may delay implementation beyond the period Sharif envisaged.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2011.
The government has decided to consult all political parties on how to implement the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) economic and administrative reforms agenda, which the government accepted last week to calm down a brewing political crisis.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday constituted a five-member ministerial committee to establish contacts with the leadership of all political parties in the parliament to obtain proposals for resolving national issues.
Last Sunday, Gilani announced to accept a set of demands from the main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which said it would go for “extreme” anti-government steps if its proposal were rejected.
The party that rules the key Punjab province said it would throw Gilani’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) out of the provincial administration and initiate agitation if its suggestions were not accepted.
The PML-N had made 11 key demands including that the government investigate corruption scandals, reduce non-development spending by one-third and set up an independent election body.
The government’s decision of surrendering to the opposition’s pressure comes on the heels of a similar move a week earlier, when it reversed hike in fuel prices to win back an angry ally.
Though it was also part of Sharif’s demands to the government, the lowering of fuel rates primarily helped Gilani’s administration to bring back the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) into the ruling coalition.
The government briefly lost majority in the parliament after the MQM pulled itself out of the coalition, following a similar move by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) of Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
On Monday, Sharif appointed three key leaders of his league to discuss with the government how his proposal could be implemented upon within 45 days.
But Gilani’s decision of involving other parties suggested the premier wants to make it a national agenda, which may delay implementation beyond the period Sharif envisaged.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2011.