Constitutional package aimed at restoring 1973 Constitution: PM

LAHORE : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said the PPP does not want any confrontation with anyone and the proposed constitutional package was aimed at restoring the 1973 Constitution in its original shape and resorting the supremacy of parliament. “The 1973 Constitution at present is neither in a parliamentary nor in a presidential form due to amendments made in it”, the Prime Minister said while talking to senior journalists and columnists here.
He said the PPP believes in the parliamentary system of government and wants to restore the 1973 Constitution in its original shape while ensuring the supremacy of parliament.
To a question, the Prime Minister said PPP has its own policies and does not want to adopt the path of any confrontation with anyone.
The Prime Minister told a questioner that he is following the guidelines and policy of his party to have good working relationship with the President, the Governors and Chief Ministers of all the four provinces and the President and Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“We do not want to make any issue as problem of ego to create bitterness and humiliate anyone because this is not policy of our party”, he said.
Responding to another question, the Prime Minister said he has lot of respects for the President, as he (the President) is part of the parliament.
He said the copies of constitutional package for restoration of deposed judges and further empowering the parliament would be provided to coalition partners for developing consensus on it.
The Prime Minister added that the time and modalities for implementing the package will be decided in consultation with the coalition partners.
To another question, he said that PPP is advancing its manifesto to serve the people without initiating any type of confrontation with anyone.
He said that the restoration of parliamentary system of government under the constitution of 1973 is part of the commitment of the party with the nation which it would fulfil without indulging in any clash with anyone.
About the restoration of judges the Prime Minister said the PPP is fully sincere to the cause of restoration of judges as it has rendered much more sacrifices than any other political party.
He said that he himself along with other workers and lawyers of PPP remained in prison for the cause of judiciary, therefore, “no one has the right to make doubts in our sincerity and commitment in this regard”.
The Prime Minister said there was no difference among the coalition partners on the restoration of judiciary but they have their own views on adopting the mode to get the task done.
PPP wants to solve all the issues through the parliament as the parliament is backed by people of the country and it has its own power to counter challenges to the democracy, he added.
To a question, the Prime Minister said the people have rejected the manifesto of PML-Q and supported PPP’s manifesto in the elections, adding, the party would implement its manifesto in letter and spirit to restore true form of parliamentary democracy in the country.
Independent media, stable institutions and accountable government are the main features of manifesto of PPP, he added.
About the situation in Balochistan he said the government wants to resolve problems through parleys with peace-loving forces. For this purpose he said an All Pakistan Conference on Balochistan will be convened. He said there should be no use of forces rather the Balochistan issue should be solved politically and democratically.
Similarly, the Prime Minister said government wants political reforms in tribal areas for which a peace initiative will be launched with those who lay down arms.
He said education and health facilities will be provided and revolutionary changes will be made in these areas. He said the PPP sincerely wants to make country a cradle of peace and hub of development for which all out efforts will be made.
To a question on terrorism, he said “We will address the root causes of the issue by holding dialogue as the strategy adopted by previous government on the issue has failed to get results”.
“Even USA, Britain and other countries also agree with the stance of the present government that the previously adopted strategy to redress the issue has failed”, he said.
Narrating three-point programme of his government to deal with the issue of terrorism and extremism, he said “We would hold dialogue with the people who would disarm themselves to bring them in mainstream politics, start development programme and create job opportunities on revolutionary basis”.