Govt not to allow state within state: Gilani

Friday, April 24, 2009

Says Swat deal can be revisited; writ of the govt to be enforced at all costs

By Asim Yasin

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said the government would not allow state within a state or parallel courts and the writ of the government would be ensured at all costs.
He expressed these views while talking to newsmen after his visit to the Cabinet Division here on Thursday. He said: “The government will not allow the functioning or setting up of the parallel courts and will ensure the writ of the government.”
Responding to a question about the emerging situation in Swat, he said the peace deal with militants could be re-looked if peace did not return to Swat. He said the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation was ratified by the president after the unanimous approval of parliament to bring peace in the area.
The prime minister said the government respected the mandate of all the provinces and under this commitment, parliament endorsed the regulation with the condition of restoration of peace. “The government reserves the right to take other options if the peace agreement was violated and peace is not restored in the area,” he said.
Responding to a question, the prime minister said the Constitution was supreme and all the steps were bound to be implemented in line with the document. “The Army was working under the civilian government and if the provincial or the federal government so desires, it may seek their assistance,” he added.
Referring to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, the prime minister said a uniform anti-terror policy would be devised in accordance with the aspirations of the nation and parliament.
He said the policy would be tabled in the cabinet and the chief ministers of the four provinces would be taken into confidence in this regard. “It will be a national policy recommended by parliament and will form a strategy that is desired by the people of Pakistan and is in the interest of the nation,” he added.
When asked about US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s comments that the peace agreement will have a spillover effect, Gilani said the agreements were a useful tool to bring normalcy and restore peace.
To a question regarding the PPP’s joining cabinet in the Punjab, he said he had discussed the issue with the president at length and apprised him of the proposals made by Nawaz Sharif in this regard.
He said he had apprised Nawaz Sharif of his discussion with the president who would hopefully take the final step after a consultative meeting with the Punjab parliamentary party within a short span of time.
When asked about the in-camera briefing to the Senate by Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik, Gilani said the adviser would brief the Upper House of parliament after consulting all the stakeholders.
Asked whether the government would protest over the fake charges of terrorism levelled against 12 Pakistani students by the British government, Gilani said it was due to the efforts of his government that they were released.
He refuted a report that he as well as the Foreign Office officials were not well prepared for the meeting with US Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry. “I had seen the report in the press,” he said, adding: “I did not want to comment on it.” Gilani said his government desired to ensure good governance at all levels and said his visit to the Cabinet Division was in this connection.

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