ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said Pakistan will consider a number of options to stop the US and NATO forces incursions into the Pakistani territory.
Speaking in a television interview, the Prime Minister said the Parliament’s committee will decide about the ways to counter these attacks.
“Let the committee hold its first meeting.
We have a number of options that we can consider to counter these attacks apart from going to the UN,” he said.
The Prime Minister denied that there was any “silent agreement” or a verbal agreement with the US to carry out drone attacks.
He said the present government was a political one which has the political will and has full army support.
About the IMF programme, he said the government had foreseen the tough global economic situation and that is why it approached the IMF well before the other countries.
He said the government had taken some unpopular decisions immediately after it came into power which Pakistan was expecting the IMF will ask.
“That is why the IMF loan was approved quickly.”
Prime Minister Gilani categorically stated that there were no political conditionalities attached with the IMF programme.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said President Asif Zardari during his address to the joint sitting of both Houses called upon the Parliament to decide about presidential powers.
Then the Parliament initiated a debate on the presidential address and it will hold further debate in the next session and come up with a unanimous resolution on presidential powers.
“The government will accept decision of the Parliament. I have no hesitation. Why should I oppose it?,” he said in the interview that was aired by Geo television.
The Prime Minister recalled that President Asif Zardari in his speech said that he wanted to surrender the presidential powers.
It is part of the PPP manifesto to undo Constitution’s 17th Amendment and Article 58(2)B, Gilani said.
He said he has full powers as Prime Minister and no decision is made without his knowledge.
“Give me one instance when a decision is made without me,” he said while responding to a question.
He said Parliament will take decision on the appointments in the higher judiciary.
The decision to restore deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will also be made by the Parliament.
“Parliament is sovereign and supreme and whatever it will decide, we will accept it,” he added.
He congratulated deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on winning Medal of Freedom Award in the United States. “We are proud of him as he is a Pakistani.”
The Prime Minister agreed that appointments in the state institutions should be merit-based. “We will do that in future,” he vowed adding, “If right people are selected for the right job, 90 percent of problems are solved.
I am selecting best possible brains for the PM Secretariat.”
Replying to a question, Prime Minister Gilani said it was not correct to think that PML (N)’s government in Punjab has asked PPP ministers in its cabinet to withdraw after PML(N) resigned from the centre.
He said he recently held a public meeting with PML (N) in Sheikhupura in which Punjab Chief Minister was also present.
About the reports of tension between the Punjab government and its governor, Prime Minister Gilani said it should not happen but expressed the hope that with the passage of time things will improve.
“If this is the impression, it should not happen as the governor is an appointee of the federal government.”
To a question how he felt that written agreements with the PML (N) have not been adhered to by the PPP, the Prime Minister said since he was not a part of those understandings he would not comment.
He, however, said that as both parties had their own manifestos, programmes and thinking, therefore when they function from one platform, the sailing is not always smooth.
oAbout minimising the role of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Gilani said it was formed particularly for politicians.
After he became the Prime Minister, he added, NAB was placed under him which was like a “double jeopardy” for him as he was also victimised by the bureau.
He said he wants legislation by the parliament to decide about the fate of NAB.
He said separate mechanism for accountability existed in every institution like Supreme Judicial Council for judiciary, court martial in the army and similarly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was there for the public representatives.
To question that the PAC did not have the authority to arrest a person, the Prime Minister said that it can refer the matter to the concerned authorities.
To ensure the accountability of the government, he added, leader of the opposition has been made the PAC chairman.
He said he regularly attends the National Assembly session during the Question Hour to assess the performance of the ministers.
About President Zardari’s offer not to be the first to use nuclear weapons against India, Gilani said this was only a suggestion.
“When there is acceptance from the other side then we will decide.”
He said Pakistan wants to have excellent relations with all its neighbours and tackle common issues like poverty, hunger, disease, unemployment and lack of education.
He said there is a general feeling about Pakistan being an irresponsible state. “Being a nuclear state, we don’t want to give an impression that Pakistan is an irresponsible nation.
We are not irresponsible.”
Replying to a question if Pakistan has a tilt towards Afghan President Hamid Karzai despite being unpopular in his own country, the Prime Minister said:
“He is the President (of Afghanistan) and it is a reality. Whom should we talk to then?”
About MQM not joining the cabinet in the center, the Prime Minister said it was a coalition partner in Sindh and they have excellent relations with them.
Similarly, he added, the relations with JUI were also excellent along with many independent members of the parliament and smaller parties who were supporting the government. “Politics is an art of possibilities,” he added.  | 
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