Peshawar—Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has hinted his government was in no mood to proceed against Pakistan ambassador to US Hussein Haqqani in the back drop of leaked memorandum written to Admiral Mike Mullen which created stir in Pakistan’s politics. He declared in categorical tone that the controversy was posing no threat to his coalition government which he claimed was strong and stable.
“I think it is unjust and against the norms of justice to draw conclusion in the matter without listening to the point of view of the Hussein Haqqani”. The Prime Minister was talking to media at the Walima reception of the son of Barrister Masood Kausar Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa here Friday afternoon.
He said the Pak envoy to America has been summoned to Islamabad in the wake of the leaked memo controversy to explain his position to the country’s top leadership and that his government has no intentions to condemn him without being unheard yet added the matter will be taken to the logical end in the best interest of the nation.
Premier Gilani said his government was enjoying exemplary working relationship with the establishment and warned that any step contrary to the law and constitution would not be accepted. The opposition has the legal options available with them for removal of the popularly elected Pakistan People’s Party government.
He however, maintained that the elements dreaming of changing the government through unconstitutional methods were living in fool’s paradise and his government was strong and stable.
He claimed that there was total understanding and harmony between the state institutions which had not been seen in the past in any civilian government. The entire nation was standing like rock against the anti-state elements and was well aware of protecting their national interest.
Prime Minister Gilani said the present government confronted a lot of difficulties both internally and externally one after the other since coming into power “yet we faced the challenges and countered allegations with patience and courage in our tenure and all the controversial issues will be resolved in line with justice and national interest”. Maintained the Prime Minister.
He refused to comment on the impression that the establishment was supporting Imran Khan adding it was premature to comment on it. When Imran’s Tehreek-Insaaf forms the government then we will see who was supporting whom.
To a query the Premier dispelled the impression that certain elements might be out to pitching government against the military adding we are a responsible government and took every matter to the logical end with consensus by taking the parliament and mainstream national leadership into confidence.
Gilani claimed his government had accepted all the demands of the opposition on issues involving national interest and called joint session of the parliament and formed judicial commission on their request saying for the first time in the political history of the country the services chiefs have been made answerable to the parliament. Likewise, when the US threatened to attack Pakistan, the government took all stakeholders on board by calling the All Parties Conference (APC). PM said and added “Our government had been tested so many times before and we always displayed patience”.
He lauded the “positive role of the men in uniform in the nation building. He said Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Fata were under main focus of his government as terrorism and extremism were twin menace needing to be rooted out on war footings.