Deposed prime minister and PPP senior vice chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Friday no individual or institution should be empowered to snatch the right to elect their government from the people, no matter what kind of rulers they choose for themselves.
“There is no room for martial law now after we withdrew presidential powers under Article 58-2(b) to abolish an elected government and assemblies, and we won’t allow any other institution to assume those powers,” he said replying to a question about the SC ruling on Balochistan government. He was addressing the “Guest of Honour” programme at Lahore Press Club on Friday.
When asked whether the chance to resolve the issue of Swiss court letter, which led to his disqualification as the PM and MNA, should have been given to him in the first place to save him from disqualification, Gilani said both the sides had now agreed that the president enjoyed immunity which actually vindicated his stance under which he had refused to write the letter.
About multiple issues plaguing Karachi, Gilani also referred to the demand of Pakistan Muslim League-N that nobody having dual nationality should be allowed to lead a political party, and said such demands could lead the country towards chaos since it was the exclusive right of the people to choose their leaders and representatives. He said whether it was Balochistan or any other province, there was no room for such adventurism which curtail the rights of the people.
Gilani stressed that by restoring the Constitution to its original state, the PPP had wanted that every institution of the state should act within its ambit and never trespass on others’. He said by appearing before the Supreme Court, he had removed the impression that the PPP had disrespect for the Constitution, and now his son had also upheld the respect for the apex court.
To a question about why the issue of creating southern Punjab province died down after his dismissal, Gilani said: “It is one of the main reasons I am sitting here now. There are certain powers which are against creating this province.”
When asked if such province should not be created in Sindh, Gilani said: “These issues are not the same. An impression is being created by certain powers that separatists elements are working in Sindh, but I assure everybody that there is no separatism working in Sindh. Whereas, the demand for southern Punjab province was an old one, arising out of the deep sense of deprivation among the people and enshrined in every political party’s manifesto and electoral promises of every leader.”
Gilani parried when asked why the media and the government had not raised the issue of unjust incarceration of Dr Aafia Siddiqi in the US, as against the hue and cry made over the attack over Malala Yousafzai. He said we had worked hard to establish bilateral relations with all states and neighbours on the basis of equality and respect of our sovereignty. “We had raised the issue of Dr Aafia and I also provided her a lawyer, and I consider her as our daughter,” he said.
Gilani disagreed with a questioner who had suggested that his relations with President Zardari were not as warm as in the past.
Senior PPP leader and chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board, Syed Asif Hashmi was also accompanying Gilani. Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari expressed gratitude for Yusuf Raza Gilani for donating Rs10 million for renovation of the club and Gilani formally inaugurated the new look club at his arrival. Ansari also praised Asif Hashmi for assisting the club in hosting the conference of Pak-India media persons and other projects of the club.
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