Gilani announces complete support for Seraiki province
Gilani says seeking army's assistance under democratic supervision unacceptable.
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, when addressing the National Assembly on Tuesday, said that he is in complete support of the formation of the Seraiki province.
Gilani refuted popular claims that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was restricted to Sindhis and family members only. He said that he was a Seraiki himself and the elected prime minister by the PPP, which is the biggest example of the respect the party gives to Seraikis.
Gilani further added that now was the perfect time to give identity to the Seraikis as they are demanding. Nothing could be more ironic than a Seraiki prime minister ignoring the demand of the Seraikis for their own province, he said.
The Prime Minister further added that if provincial autonomy had been given to the provinces earlier, Pakistan wouldn’t have lost East Pakistan in 1971.
Gilani also said that the people of Pakistan should not worry about Pakistan becoming weak. Giving provincial identity to Seraikis will not weaken Pakistan, in fact it will strengthen it, and the PPP had no hidden motive behind the approval of this appeal, he said.
Yousaf Raza Gilani also indirectly referenced Nawaz Sharif’s statement from yesterday’s gathering in Karachi, where the PML-N chief said that seeking the army’s assistance under a democratic supervision was completely justified if its purpose was to protect the citizens and bring peace in the city. Gilani responded by saying that this practice counts as mixing democracy with dictatorship, which was unacceptable in a democratic setup.
The PM also said that army should be kept in the background and if put into practice all the time, its power is eroded.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, when addressing the National Assembly on Tuesday, said that he is in complete support of the formation of the Seraiki province.
Gilani refuted popular claims that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was restricted to Sindhis and family members only. He said that he was a Seraiki himself and the elected prime minister by the PPP, which is the biggest example of the respect the party gives to Seraikis.
Gilani further added that now was the perfect time to give identity to the Seraikis as they are demanding. Nothing could be more ironic than a Seraiki prime minister ignoring the demand of the Seraikis for their own province, he said.
The Prime Minister further added that if provincial autonomy had been given to the provinces earlier, Pakistan wouldn’t have lost East Pakistan in 1971.
Gilani also said that the people of Pakistan should not worry about Pakistan becoming weak. Giving provincial identity to Seraikis will not weaken Pakistan, in fact it will strengthen it, and the PPP had no hidden motive behind the approval of this appeal, he said.
Yousaf Raza Gilani also indirectly referenced Nawaz Sharif’s statement from yesterday’s gathering in Karachi, where the PML-N chief said that seeking the army’s assistance under a democratic supervision was completely justified if its purpose was to protect the citizens and bring peace in the city. Gilani responded by saying that this practice counts as mixing democracy with dictatorship, which was unacceptable in a democratic setup.
The PM also said that army should be kept in the background and if put into practice all the time, its power is eroded.