All is well, says PM

PM Gilani says that the govt was enjoying ‘cordial relations’ with the military.

ISLAMABAD: In an apparent impression of ‘all is well’, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday said there was no confrontation between the executive and the judiciary and that the government was enjoying ‘cordial relations’ with the military.

“Nothing is going to happen on October (the day the Supreme Court will resume hearing of the NRO implementation cases)…rumour-mongers talking about the collapse of the government will be disappointed once again,” Gilani said in response to questions at a dinner he hosted for diplomats.

Dispelling the impression that the government was out to defy the Supreme Court rulings, the premier said: “We do not want any confrontation with the judiciary. This is not our way of politics.”

However, the premier contested a demand by the Supreme Court to withdraw the notification for appointing Kamal Azfar as his adviser, saying the move took place on October 6.  Kamal was made the premier’s adviser but the notification wasn’t shared with the media till the court was informed about it on Saturday.

The prime minister said his government was implementing the 18th amendment in its true spirit and would be reducing the size of the cabinet by early next year.  “We will be trimming the cabinet by eliminating at least 10 ministries within the next two months,” he added.

But he didn’t even drop a hint at whether some of the key allies of the president were being removed from the cabinet to meet a reported demand from the powerful military.

To a question, he said the appointment of the NAB chairman was the president’s prerogative and he used his discretion. “My role in the process is limited to suggesting some names,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2010.