All will go if democracy goes; says Yousaf Raza Gilani

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has clarified that everyone will have to go if they were forced to go.

He was speaking in the National Assembly after the house passed a resolution in favor of democracy that was tabled by ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan. He proudly declared in the National Assembly on Monday that the house, by a majority vote, approved the pro-democracy bill.

He congratulated ANP head Asfandyar Wali for moving the resolution in support of democracy; offering thanks his party members, coalition members and the Jamaat-e-Ulema-e-Islam Fazal for passing the resolution.

He refused that the government wanted a clash of institutions, saying that the resolution had been moved days before the Supreme Court decision. In his view they wanted to give a message that parliament was not a rubber stamp assembly and that Parliament is supreme.

The PM said his first words upon being elected prime minister were to demand the release the judges. He said the government wanted no confrontation with any institution including the judiciary and that no one should disgrace the mandate of the elected government.

“We need no certificate to prove our patriotism,” he said, citing sacrifices rendered by the leaders of Pakistan People’s Party for the cause of democracy in the country.

The premier said he was arrested for renovating Parliament and for literally putting a roof on the National Assembly. Successful adoption of resolution proves parliament is supreme; parliament is sovereign, he said.

He further stated the pro-democracy resolution was not a vote of confidence. We don’t need a vote of confidence. Several people have claimed the introduced pro-democracy resolution to protect ourselves from NRO cases; this is wrong, he added.

“We did not make the NRO. The people who introduced it should be punished. I will appear in court on Jan. 19 because I respect the judiciary,” PM Gilani said.

Gilani also asserted that he had personally fought for the judiciary, adding their species which demonstrates loyalty and discipline was becoming extinct.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=9434

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Jan 16 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.