SATURDAY FEBRUARY 04: Coalition government to present fifth annual budget: Prime Minister

LAHORE: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that Senate elections will be held as per schedule and the government will talk about general election with other political parties after FY2012-13 if there is a need to discuss it. Gilani made these remarks during his talk to media persons at the launch of Pakistan Business Train here on Friday.
He said he was the "longest serving consensus Prime Minister" till date. He said he had disclosed six months back that all the conspiracies against the present government were being hatched to stall Senate's elections. When asked about the contempt proceedings against him in the Supreme Court, Gilani said he had full respect for the SC decision and would appear before the apex court as and when called. He refused to talk on the issue further, terming it a sub judice matter.
Regarding a rise in POL prices, he said it was the duty of the regulatory bodies to raise or decrease oil prices according to international prices. However, he said, a parliamentary committee had been formed to discuss the issue. He said he had also arranged a meeting of the Finance Minister and leader of the opposition on this issue.
Earlier addressing the inaugural ceremony of first train in public-private partnership in the history of Pakistan Railways, the prime minister felicitated the private sector and Pakistan Railways for launching a deluxe train that is equipped with the state of art facilities, compatible with modern days' demand of businessmen travelling between Lahore and Karachi.
He hoped the train would set new standards for the public sector to improve its level of performance on a sustainable basis. "This is the first train which is being run on public-private partnership mode, which would give Pakistan Railways an insight into the private sector. We are already well aware of the private sector's potential and capacity as an engine of economic growth," he added.
Gilani expressed his confidence that this partnership will provide an impetus to efforts aimed at infuse new spirit in providing efficient services to passengers, it will be instrumental in the revival of Pakistan Railways. He appreciated railways administration for fulfilling the demand of LCCI for an express train and also appreciated the initiative of M/S Four Brothers, which has pledged to invest a minimum of Rs 225 million in the commercial management and passenger facilitation for the business express. He said this initiative would help induct corporate culture in other sectors of the economy.
He said the government was already on the verge of track access regime which will provide the private sector with a unique opportunity to avail untapped capacity on the railways network by importing locomotives, freight wagons and moving fleet across the country. This will relieve pressure on main highways and also improve the efficient transportation of goods in the country, he added.
The prime minister stated that he had been reviewing the progress of Railways with a view to putting it back on track. He hoped that the government would succeed in providing a service of reasonable quality. There have been substantial improvements but a lot more needs to be done by Pakistan Railways to expand its capacity and improve its services, he added. "He is aware that Railways is facing an acute shortage of locomotives, depleting rolling stock and slow pace of rehabilitation and upgradation of railways infrastructure. In the present circumstance, revival of the railways lies in effective utilisation of its available potential and resources.
This can best be done through greater collaboration between the public and private sectors. It will be a winning combination of innovation and financial resources of the private sector with public sector," he added.Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan Business Railways Zafar Iqbal and General Manager Railways Saeed Akhtar also spoke.