Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday termed the memogate issue a conspiracy against the Parliament and warned that any unconstitutional step would have dangerous consequences for the country. Responding to a host of issues in the Senate, Gilani said the President is part of the Parliament, which is incomplete without him and urged Senators to get together and support democracy and Parliament.
"Bring a no-confidence vote against me, if you don't like my face and impeachment against the President, if you don't like his face...but don't allow any conspiracy against the Parliament," he said requesting parliamentarians to give up the tendency of giving people title of traitor because such a course could have dangerous consequences for the country.
"There is a member in this House who is in constant touch with Mansoor and I have evidence against him but I will not disclose his name," he said, adding that the person who has written the memo is neither citizen of Pakistan nor credible as he has been regularly writing articles against Pakistan's institutions. Gilani said opposition has taken the memo of the person who does not have any credibility to the Supreme Court, so that it could know who have asked him to write this memo. We don't need certificate of patriotism from anyone... and if we have to take the patriotism certificate, we need not to remain in politics, he said challenging the opposition that it would not be able to form the government if he resigns today because Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League (Q) are with the government.
Gilani also urged parliamentarians not to call the Parliament a rubber-stamp because for the first time in the history of the country, Chief of Army Staff, DG ISI and other Services Chiefs have been made accountable by the Parliament. He promised that all the decision from now onwards whether terms of co-operation with the US, Nato issue, relationship with India or nuclear policy would be taken by the Parliament. He said the government has already referred the issue of Nato supply to the parliamentary committee on national security for a decision. He said the government immediately called a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet and took two important decisions - suspension of Nato supply through Pakistani route and asking the US to vacate Shamsi Airbase. He said such courageous decisions have never been taken before and the government also got these decisions endorsed from the Cabinet and decided not to attend the Bonn Conference despite tremendous pressure.
Gilani said he has taken resignation from former envoy to the US, Hussain Haqqani following the memogate in the presence of President, Chief of Army Staff and DG ISI to ensure transparency in the investigation. Responding to the issue of corruption raised b Senators, he said that corruption charges had been levelled against all the governments, even against those who have come to power with two thirds majority and against the colleagues of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
He offered to bring everyone before the House for accountability. About President, he said he was ill and could be admitted to hospital in Pakistan because of life threat. Because of this, Gilani said that President was not able to visit his father who remained admitted to PIMS for quite sometime.