Price control is a provincial subject and should be dealt at
the local and provincial levels=
responsibility of the state to protect life
and property of citizens
BUT
law and order situation in Karachi is
a complex issue.=
Wrong policies of previous governments responsible for loadshedding:
PM Gilani SPEAK
programme "Prime Minister Online" broadcast on Pakistan Television
ISLAMABAD, Mar 30: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani
Friday said owing to the wrong policies of the previous governments,
the present government inherited power shortage and the country was
facing loadshedding.
Replying to questions of the people in his monthly TV
programme "Prime Minister Online" broadcast on Pakistan Television
and Channel Five, the Prime Minister said that energy crisis is not
a new issue.
The Prime Minister said an important Energy Conference is
being held on April 9, which will be attended by representatives
from all the provinces to discuss and find solution to the energy
crisis.
Prime Minister while referring to the Independent Power
Producers (IPPs) initiated by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in 1994 during
her first term said, she was criticized for this initiative.
The Prime Minister said many corruption cases were made
against Benazir Bhutto and matter was taken to the courts and the
investors in this IPP project ran away from Pakistan.
Gilani said, "this situation created energy crisis in the
country, and it was failure of the previous governments that we are
facing energy crisis today".
He said despite remaining in the government for eight years,
even President Parvez Musharraf did not contribute any thing in
energy sector.
The Prime Minister said, "We have added 3400 MW in the
national system with the help of short term projects and added that
more electricity will be added by end of the year when many mid term
projects will be completed."
He said many other projects like Bhasha Dam, raising of Mangla
Dam and other hydal projects are under construction to improve
electricity and reduce loadshedding.
Gilani said, "I am from Punjab, and cannot do
discrimination with other provinces on the issue of loadshedding."
The Prime Minister said the provinces have been permitted to
generate electricity, therefore, provinces are equally responsible
for energy crisis.
The Prime Minister said government is also making efforts to
get energy from Iran. He said during his informal talk with Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for getting 500 to 1000 MW electricity
from India.
He said the Committee constituted by him on energy will meet
daily to look into the present severe condition of loadshedding.
The gas shortage is also a problem directly effecting the
shortage of electricity, as many power projects use gas and even
provision of gas for fertilizers also create shortage for power
projects, he added.
He said the government is also making efforts to import LNG
from different countries to meet the demand in energy sector.
Replying to a question about energy losses, the Prime Minister
said PEPCO and Ministry of Water and Power have been restructured
purely on professional basis and all areas have been made
independent and it will improve the situation and reduce corruption
and line losses.
The Prime Minister said he had directed that there will be no
new tax in the next budget and relief will be given to the people.
He said over 100,000 jobs will be created to provide jobs to
youth especially the graduated people.
About change in Federal Cabinet, the Prime Minister said its
a routine matter and it should not be a concern for any one. All the
members of Cabinet are elected representatives and they are
politicians.
He said the politicians are elected and they deserve to be
included in the federal cabinet as they have the experience.
About a solution for loadshedding during cricket match, the
Prime Minister said it can be managed through different measures
only for some important days and due to shortage of electricity it
cannot be a routine matter.
The Prime Minister said efforts are being made to minimise the
load shedding using the available sources present in the country.
To a question for recognition of degrees of the students who
got education in China, the Prime Minister said, "We have good
relations with China and I am leaving for China tomorrow and giving
concentration on exchange of students between the two countries and
assured that the matter of degree recognition will be resolved."
About allegations of corruption against his sons, the Prime
Minister said these are wrong allegations and added that even
Supreme Court has stated that his son was not involved in Hajj
corruption case, but still the press was projecting this issue.
The Prime Minister said elections for local governments were
not held, because of which there were no local elected officials to
control prices.
Price control is a provincial subject and should be dealt at
the local and provincial levels, he said adding the provincial
governments should take notice of the problem of adulteration in
edible items.
To a question about the situation in Karachi, he said Karachi
is mini Pakistan with a large population and different dynamics.
Gilani said it is responsibility of the state to protect life
and property of citizens but law and order situation in Karachi is
a complex issue.
The provincial government should fulfill its obligation and
perform the primary duty to maintain law and order, he said adding
army, rangers and other law enforcement agencies of the federal
government are available as and when required.
Gilani said despite the fact that all the three main parties
in Sindh are in the coalition government, it is not a guarantee that
law and order situation will be under control all the time.
"It is responsibility of everybody to maintain law and order."
To a question, he said Pakistan is reviewing its relations and
rules of engagement with the United States, NATO and ISAF.
The parliament is holding a discussion on the recommendations
of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security to redefine
relations with the US, he added.
The Prime Minister said US President Barack Obama during a
meeting in Seoul told him that his country respected both
sovereignty of Pakistan and the process of review of ties with US by
the parliament.
But Obama also said that US has security concerns and he
wanted a balanced approach which takes care of the security of
American citizens, he added.
Obama raised the issue of foreigners including Uzbeks, Afghans
and Chechens in tribal areas and said they were responsible for
carrying out attacks on Americans, who should be provided security,
Gilani continued.
Recommendations of the parliamentary committee are property of
the parliament, he observed.
He said democracy is taking roots in Pakistan and now the
parliament is deciding about the foreign policy, whereas in the past
it was complained that foreign policy was not the domain of elected
representatives.
He said leaders of parties in the parliament and chiefs of
armed forces had attended a meeting to evolve consensus on foreign
policy issues.
Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, Interior Minister, Army
Chief, Air Chief and Pakistan's Ambassador to the US gave a briefing
to the leaders of parliamentary parties to address their concerns,
he added.
The meeting was an effort to move towards a consensus
resolution till April 5 for reviewing of ties with the US, he said
adding the parliament should speak with one voice and send a loud
and clear message on relations with the US.
To a question about Nawaz Sharif who recently said that the
Prime Minister sought advice from children on Swiss case, Gilani
said the matter is sub judice and he does not want to comment on it.
He said health and education are his areas of concern and he
has been addressing convocations of colleges and universities to
encourage students.
The students of university in Bahawalpur and Kinnaird College
Lahore are not children as they are of voter age and qualify to be
members of National Assembly, he explained.
In response to question of a caller, the Prime Minister gave
orders for filling of posts in schools and hospitals in Azad Kashmir
and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which were rebuilt in the earthquake hit
areas by ERRA.
The Prime Minister said Pakistanis were proud of the people of
Swat and Malakand for their bravery, sacrifices and fight against
terrorism and militancy.
Militants destroyed schools, especially those which were
giving education to female students, he recalled.
The Prime Minister said Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project was
on track and the government was looking into alternatives for
financing of the project and import of gas to meet energy needs.
The Prime Minister asked Minister for Information to
look into the matter of non-payment of salaries to employees of news
organizations.
The Prime Minister also ordered Secretary Establishment to
look into the matter of restoration of job of son of a caller, who
requested for help.
He directed Secretary Establishment to examine the case of a
caller for regularization in National Bank of Pakistan.
Prime Minister Gilani, in a response question about Maulana
Fazalur Rehman's statement regarding the next general elections,
said after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which had done away
with Article 58-2B, it is now his prerogative to dissolve the
National Assembly and announce new elections.
Gilani, however, added that as there was a coalition
government with Maulana Fazalur Rehman not its part, he would
consult the coalition partners before taking any decision in this
respect.
"I have a lot of respect for Maulana Fazalur Rehman. He also
studied in Multan and is also my friend. Maulana has his own views,
but I will take any decision after consulting the coalition
partners," he remarked.
Responding to caller, who took up the issue of extortion in
Karachi, the Prime Minister said he himself would visit Karachi and
review the law and order situation.
To another question about the role of PML-N as an opposition
party, the Prime Minister said the PML-N cannot be termed as a
"friendly opposition" but a "responsible opposition", as whenever
there was any issue of national interest, they cooperated with the
government.
He referred to the approval of historic Constitutional
Amendments to strengthen parliament and other national institutions
and said all the political parties including the PML-N stood united
for national cause.
Replying to a question about Pak-India trade, he said the
federal cabinet had decided to improve balance of trade with India
and assigned the Ministry of Commerce to hold talks with the Indian
side, while keeping in view our national interest. "Currently, these
talks are in progress, which is a positive sign," he added.
To a question about the situation in Balochistan, the Prime
Minister said, the people of Balochistan like people belonging to
other provinces are equally sincere and patriotic and are not
separatist.
He, however, added that as far as their concerns regarding the
injustices done with them in the past are concerned, these are
justified.
The Prime Minister further said that there are few people in
Balochistan, who are working on the signals from abroad, adding, but
they do not have any support from the main-stream political parties.
Gilani said he also raised the issue of Balochistan with US
President Barack Obama during his recent meeting in Seoul and said
President Obama assured him that the United States had no official
policy about the independence of Balochistan, and some Congressmen
in America, who are talking about Balochistan, did not have the
support of US government.
About the All Parties Conference on Balochistan issue, the
Prime Minister said he has already directed the provincial
government to talk to the Baloch leaders in main-stream political
parties, and whenever he gets a signal, he would convene the APC.
To a question as to what results the PPP expects in the next
general elections, Gilani said, the masses have reposed their
confidence in the PPP in all the by-elections, as they know this
party was working to address their problems with all sincerity.
Gilani said with energy crisis being the only issue, the
present PPP-led government has fulfilled all promises and would go
in the elections on the basis of its performance.
About seat adjustment with coalition partners, the Prime
Minister said in this respect the PPP and its coalition partners
will work out a strategy before the elections.
Responding to a caller, the Prime Minister said the present
government has reinstated thousands of sacked employees and assured
the caller that if his son was missed, he would also be reinstated.
To a question, the Prime Minister said as per parliamentary
practice, the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on
National Security were not made public before presenting these in
the Joint Sitting.
The reports carried out by newspapers only reflected the
people's aspirations and nobody had prior information about these
recommendations, he added.
Responding to the request of a female caller, the Prime
Minister directed the Inspector General Islamabad Police to appoint
her bother, as it was the government's policy to give job to one of
the heirs of employees, who die during the job.
COURTESY
PM
CAMP OFFICE
No comments:
Post a Comment