Government will complete five year term: PM

During 100th cabinet meeting, Gilani assures parliament will complete its term to strengthen democratic institutions.

KARACHI: The elected government has been following the principles of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and is taking all decisions through consultation with the elected representatives, said Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani while addressing a federal cabinet meeting on Sunday.

The 100th session of the federal cabinet meeting was held in connection with the 135th birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The prime minister assured the cabinet that the parliament will complete its five years term as this will strengthen the democratic institutions.

“It’s an honour for the present government that it has completed its 45 months and it will complete the five-year term given to it by the people of Pakistan”, he said.

He added that it is the first federal cabinet of a democratic government in the history of the country that had held 100 meetings in 45 months, and termed the achievement as “the best way to pay homage to the Quaid-e-Azam”.

He said the government took all the decisions with consultation in the parliament and added that the elected parliament is performing its job and is taking all the decisions through mutual consultations within the parliament to ensure this process will continue.

The prime minister said the democratic government ensured the freedom of press and independence of judiciary. He said there is no political prisoner in the country today.

He also said the government has due reverence for the independence of judiciary and gave respect to its decisions by accepting them with an open heart.

Gilani said: “It is the credit of this democratic government that it took the decision to constitute the National Finance Commission, passed 18th constitutional amendment and restored the 1973 constitution in its original form unanimously through the parliament.”

He said following the principles of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah the government took decisions to strengthen the democratic institutions and took the decisions on all important issues through mutual consultation.

He said President Asif Ali Zardari, who surrender his powers to the parliament also addressed three times to the joint session of the parliament. This is another record in the parliamentary history as none of his predecessors had fulfilled this constitutional requirement.

Referring to the foreign policy, Gilani said in line with the principles of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the democratic government adopted the policy to have relations with all the countries including its neighbours with honour and dignity.

On the Kashmir issue, the prime minister said, “The government has very clear policy on Kashmir issue and wants to resolve it in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.”

The prime minister, appreciating the contribution of Pakistan Army in defending the country, said the Armed Forces have given sacrifices to defend its frontiers and vowed that sovereignty, integrity and solidarity of the country would be protected at all cost and assuring to give any sacrifice for this lofty purpose.

Gilani said, “Our government has made efforts to protect the constitutional rights of Minorities and will continue to do so.”

The members of the federal cabinet appreciated the decision of Prime Minister Gilani to hold the cabinet meeting in Karachi on the 135th birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.