Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said the democratic system in Pakistan was strengthened due to politics of reconciliation and consensus building pursued by the PPP government and its coalition partners.
Speaking at a dinner at the residence of Senate Deputy Chairman Sabir Baloch, the prime minister said the process is continuing for smooth transfer of power in the future through elections and it is the right of the people to elect their leaders.
Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik, Minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah, Senator Mushahid Hussain, former senator Waseem Sajjad, Taj Muhammad Jamali and parliamentarians attended the dinner. According to the Constitution, the prime minister can only be removed from his office through a no-confidence motion and the president can be removed through impeachment, he said.
He said it goes to the credit of the PPP government and its allies that Parliament unanimously passed the 18th, 19th and 20th constitutional amendments.
“We restored the 1973 Constitution to its original form, announced the 7th National Finance Commission Award (NFC) and gave provincial autonomy to end the sense of deprivation in the provinces,” he added.
He said all political governments including that of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and Muhammad Khan Junejo were removed on typical charges of corruption.
It is unfortunate that no democratic government in Pakistan was allowed to complete its five-year constitutional term and because of this the institutions continued to weaken, he said, while in India democracy continued to take roots and its institutions became strong and vibrant.
The prime minister said he has talked to the UN human rights body and said that Pakistan wanted to have observers during its next general elections to make the whole electoral process free, fair and transparent. “If elections are not held in a free and fair manner, then it will be dangerous for the country.”
The premier said that when former dictator Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf put Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry behind bars, civil society and others protested against this action. Gilani said he himself took part in the protests and for that he spent five days in jail. “We believe in democracy, Constitution and rule of law,” he stressed.
He recalled that he had restored Chief Justice Chaudhry with delay at six in the morning as he was taking advice from his legal advisers.
He said if he had removed Abdul Hameed Dogar as chief justice in the way Pervez Musharraf removed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry then there would not have been any difference between him and the dictator.
He said the Constitution provides for trichotomy of power and if all institutions work in their domain then there would be no problem, but if there is a confrontation then it would be dangerous for the country. “There is no chance for mistake. Everybody knows the prime minister is not aggressive. And I have learnt from experience in jail where I spent five years for providing jobs to people.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2012.
COMMENTS (13)
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voted for Bhutto in 70's worked for MRD in 80's supported BB in 90's faced the dictators 200's Standing with Zardari 210`s Shall choose Bilawal 220's Insha Allah
**GOT** No ration card NO permit No car No tractor No contract No bisc card or anyother card, Still v r barrowed from Bhutto and PPP.
Live long Zardari and Gilani. we want to see this team for next five years, at least. ppp has no comparison with other handpicked leader by the dictators to play at their hand as poppet. these two persons are real predessors of Bhutto and BB. Recently they have started to return the perk to people, by redcing the price of petroleum products.
Abour MR,Zardari,One of the best persnolty, my wishes and prays,for Mr,President,
First i want to say one of the best porson,2,heard worker, 3,honest man, wishes and prays for MR,Galani,
Its great surprise to me that a person convicted by SC & a British citizen holding the office of PM & Interior Ministry respectively. You can't imagine such voilation of Honerable Judiciary in India. PPP having the fake democracy & detoriated constitution. Now time arrived that people of Pakistan must come out to prevail true democrcy & degnity of Late Quad-e Aazam. Dedicated youth must come farward to save this Islamic Republic from most corrupt & slaves of America.
He himself has violated the constitution many times by not accepting the court's decisions. He has no right to hold the office of PM. He should look at himself instead of advising others.
PPP broke Pakistan once before, and now they are going to do it again
Of the three institutions that are mentioned only one of them is elected. Those demanding the PM to resign do not understand that if the PM resigns then there would be another one from PPP. It would not be the end of coalition govt's rule till another year and next elections. PM can resign only if his party demands or he loses majority in NA. What I am saying is his resignation is not going to change anything it would be futile just like memo and contempt trials.
PM should himself obey the constitution and leave the seat of PM. He is a convicted person and cannot hold the office of PM.
common man is not afraid of what you say - what fears him 'loaf of bread'!
Ask this gentleman who is confronting with the law of land ?