LAHORE: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that democratic powers do not believe in non- party election, stressing that the local government (LG) polls in Punjab should be party-based and held soon as per directions of the apex court.
"Non-party elections helped dictators form a King's Party in the past while people believe in democracy today and they have rejected all kings and their parties", he said while talking to the senior journalists during a meeting at the State Guest House here Sunday.
The prime minister said other three provinces had decided to hold party-based LG election, adding that the Punjab government should follow suit and not practice politics of the 80s by holding non-party election.
Regarding allocations for southern Punjab in the provincial budget, Gilani said, "I would have appreciated the Punjab budget if 33 percent funds had been allocated for southern Punjab."
The premier said the PML-N's double standards had been badly exposed in the provincial budget 2012-13, adding that it had submitted a resolution on Southern Punjab and Bahawalpur provinces but it failed to earmark any funds for the creation of Southern Punjab province in the budget.
He hoped the PPP-led coalition government would be able to create the southern Punjab province through political consensus.
Over Shahbaz Sharif's leading protests against the government on the energy crisis, PM Gilani said the Punjab government had failed to initiate any measure to generate even a single megawatt electricity in the province and its criticism of the federal government was unjustified which had added some 3,700mw to the national grid.
"The federal government has allocated about Rs200 billion for the energy sector," he added.
About an allocation of Rs8 billion for power generation in the province, the premier said the Punjab government had not earmarked funds to end loadshedding during the past four years, adding that it took five to seven years to generate electricity from a power project. He said the Shahbaz government had rejected Ch Shujat's formula to end the energy crisis and refused to contribute funds although major resources were transferred to the provinces under the NFC award.
To a query, Gilani said the Thar Coal project was an initiative of the Sindh government and the other governments needed to generate their own power resources in order to meet energy challenges.
Rejecting the Punjab government's allegations of non- provision of sovereign warranties by federation for power projects, he said the PML-N could ask for an inquiry into the allegation or seek help from the judiciary.
Regarding gas shortages the prime minister said the government had been signing new gas projects with Iran, Qatar and India to meet energy needs.
About Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif's decision to set up a tent office at Minar-e-Pakistan, Gilani said "I feel sorry for Shahbaz Sharif". He further said the estranged relations between the PML-N and the PPP were a two way affair.
Vis-a-vis chances of reconciling differences with the PML-N which have touched the lowest ebb recently, Gilani said the PPP had not closed its doors for reconciliation with the PML- N, adding that it had been the PML-N which had gone a step forward in PPP's opposition to prove itself a legitimate opposition after the emergence of Imran Khan.
Whether the general election will be held in 2012 or 2013 in the country, the prime minister said all were aware of the election time, adding that the election would be held on time after consultation with the coalition partners as LG election were yet be held in the country.
When asked about his government's achievements to go into next election, Gilani said the PPP-led government purged the 1973 constitution of the dictators' scars and restored it to its true spirit which strengthened the institutions, gave share to the provinces in national resources through the passage of the NFC award, awarded provincial autonomy to the provinces, introduced FATA reforms, initiated legislation on women empowerment and labour, made the passage of the 18th, 19th and the 20th amendments possible besides launching the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) for 3,500,000 families.
Regarding PPP's performance, the premier said he is satisfied with his party's performance, adding that it was a big achievement to take all political parties in the current political scenario in the country.
Regarding investigations by the agencies into the Arslan Chaudhry case, the Premier said that no concrete proof has come forth nor any complainant has come forward in the case yet and it is premature to say anything.
About Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry's constitutional bar not to sit on the bench in his son's case.
Gilani said the CJ Chaudhry could hear my son Ali Musa Gilani's case if he could not hear his own son's case, adding that MNA Ali Musa Gilani has been appearing before the FIA and the ANF. "I volunteer my son to appear before the Supreme Court", he added.
Gilani dispelled the impression that PPP or the military is the beneficiary of the Arslan Chaudhry case which has plunged SC into controversy and said the PPP government has been elected by the people and not the judiciary while PPP restored the judiciary while I am the longest serving Prime Minister in the parliamentary history of the country.
"PPP respects institutions and it has no score to settle with the judiciary", Gilani stressed.
On the question why did Nawaz Sharif not become a party in the Arslan-Riaz Malik case, Gilani said Riaz Malik has cordial relations all and sundry in the country.
When asked whether PPP's politics of reconciliation was a weakness or strength, Gilani said democracy is power, adding that PML-N had always violated the sanctity of institutions in whether it is parliament or the judiciary, referring to hooliganism by PML-N during the President Asif Ali Zardari's address to the joint session of the parliament and other occasions.
About the impending Martial Law, PM Gilani said the eras of Martial Law are over, adding that there was no room for Martial Law in the country.
About the rumpus by PML-N in the NA budget session, the PM said 'the horse and cattle show' by the PML-N during the budget session was unbecoming of the political leaders, adding that people look forward to their leaders to come upto their expectations. He said the opposition floundered the opportunity to take part in a constructive dialogue during the budget session as even the Speaker NA can not stop a member from taking part in the debate.
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