'Gandapur can't be taken seriously'

Senate Chairman Gillani says judicial reforms bill not person-specific

KARACHI:

Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gillani has said matters related to foreign policy fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government, and no one will take the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister's bid to hold direct talks with Afghan and Pakistani Taliban seriously.

On September 11, K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur expressed his determination to address the growing militancy in the K-P by sending a delegation to Kabul for talks with the Afghan Taliban to seek their assistance in restoring peace to the province.

Responding to the statement, the foreign office on September 12 stated that foreign policy remains a federal responsibility and it is the prerogative of the Government of Pakistan to pursue it.

However, on the same day, Thursday, Gandapur urged the federal government to send a jirga to Kabul to establish lasting peace in the region in the wake of a meeting with Afghan consul general in Peshawar.

Referring to Gandapur's statement, Gillani said no one takes the K-P CM's statement seriously. The PPP leader who also served as the country's prime minister between 2008 and 2012 said this while responding to journalists after a court hearing in Karachi.

Gillani said the Senate unanimously passed a resolution condemning the arrest of lawmakers from within the Parliament House. "We have also denounced it," he said.

He clarified that a bill presented in parliament with regard to judicial reforms is not person-specific. "If the required numbers are present, the bill concerning extending the age of institution heads will be approved. If we have the numbers, the bill will pass. It's a reform bill," he said,

In response to a question with regard to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said: "I have great respect for him; he has worked closely with us. I have a long-standing relationship with him, and I will not comment on him."

He emphasized that early elections are not a solution to the current issues, as it would further complicate the situation. "All political forces should come together and think about the country."

Gillani noted that he became the PM with 264 votes, while the opposition's candidate, Parvez Elahi, had received 42 votes. He said he was the only unanimously elected prime minister in Pakistan's history.

"The PPP released judges from house arrest. We concluded that one political party alone could not run the country. Despite the cases filed against me, we have maintained a big heart and today are even voting for the people who filed those cases. We have to think about the country, not personal matters."

His lawyer, Farooq H Naek, spoke to the media, stating that there were 26 cases against Gillani, of which three have been completed.