Stop politics of 'deadlines': Prime Minister

While rejecting any threat to the government, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said that there should be an end to what he described politics of speculations and deadlines about government dismissal.
Speaking in Senate after the unanimous passage of 19th amendment, which described a 'new year gift' to the nation, he said that in case his party loses majority in the National Assembly, it is ready to extend support on the national issue to those who have the majority (for making the government).
"If we lose majority, we will support those who have it," he said, adding that the incumbent government enjoys public support and would continue to serve. He asked those giving deadlines that the government will go, to sit together and constitute a committee for giving a final deadline.
The Prime Minister, however, said that the government would continue to pursue the policy of reconciliation and called for an end to the politics of speculations, which not only created disappointment, but also halted development in the country.
While referring the decision of the Supreme Court on 18th Amendment, Gilani said that the verdict of the apex court on the constitutional reforms increased the prestige of the Parliament and also removed the fear that existed among the masses, critics and media about the clash among the institutions. He said that the current government respects the institutions and wants them further strengthen.
About the proposal to tax the agriculture income, the Prime Minister said that he had talked to Law Minister and the issue will be consulted with legal experts, as it is a provincial subject. Referring to the proposed accountability bill, Gilani said that he had already talked to PML-N Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for his party's support and also urged the other political forces for their support and suggestions.
He said that efforts were underway to make it transparent and not meant for revenge, adding that the present government had abolished politics of victimisation and laid the foundation of nobility. Currently, he said that there was not even a single political prisoner in the country.
Hailing the Senate for passing the 19th amendment, he said that passage of the bill speaks volume about reconciliatory policy of the government, which he said involved broad-term understanding featuring judiciary, establishment, presidency, parliament, provinces and media. He said that the passage of the bill reflected political maturity of country's leadership and negated clash among institutions.
He said that it was honour of the present Parliament that passed passes 57 bills unanimously and two constitutional amendments during the current year, adding that it has dispelled the impression that the Parliament was ineffective or a rubber-stamp.
He also assured his government's support to the parliamentarians for bringing legislation of the national interest, adding that the government has set a direction, which the future generation would find easy to follow. He anticipated that the future government to be a coalition government and underlined the need for tolerating criticism. Gilani also announced that the highest civil award of Nishan-e-Pakistan would be given to the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms in January.
Referring to the concerns of some senators belonging to Balochistan regarding the implementation of the 18th Amendment, he said that it will be implemented in letter and spirit. The Prime Minister also assured the people of Fata that their reservations would be addressed soon terming them as dividends of their support in war against terror.