PM says no rift between Presidency, GHQ

ISLAMABAD Dispelling the impression of any rift between the President and the Chief of Army Staff, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that all the state institutions are working within their defined constitutional parameters.
Responding to media persons questions after visiting residences of police personnel including Inspector Muhammad Safdar and policemen Manan, Illyas and Aftab who lost their lives in the Melody and Egypt Embassy terror attacks in the Federal Capital, the Prime Minister made it loud and clear that there was no difference whatsoever between Presidency and GHQ, adding that all the state institutions were operating within their defined constitutional limits, hence dispelled the possibility of clash between the institutions.
The Prime Minister also allayed the fears of any threat to democracy and said that people of Pakistan had voted them to power for five years and no one could snatch this right from them. He emphatically said that Government would complete its stipulated constitutional term.
To a question about annulment of 17th Amendment, Premier Gilani said that Government was 200 percent sincere in revoking 17th Amendment and Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms was working on it and as soon as they would come up with consensus draft proposals for constitutional amendment, the Government would bring it in the Parliament. There is unanimity of view among the political forces to do away with the 17th Amendment and the unanimous constitutional reforms will be another feather in the PPP governments cap, he added.
He further said that he had full faith in the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms but declined to give any deadline for revoking of the 17th Amendment, as according to him it was the committee to give any deadline. He further said if the PPP could not protect the 1973 Constitution given by its founding chairman, then, according to him, no one else could do it.
The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with security forces and Government in war against terrorism, he said and added that these non-state actors were working on foreign agenda and their real face had been exposed to the nation.
He said the government had the ability and resolve to fight terrorism, however stressed the need to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies.
Flanked by Minister for Interior Rehman Malik, Gilani said the US sponsored anti-terror training centre from Sihala was being shifted to another location and would not affect Pak-US relations.
Gilani announced an increase in the compensation for martyrs of Islamabad police and Frontier Constabulary to Rs 2 million, from 0.5 million, and construction of 2,000 units as permanent residence on ownership basis.
He said the objective of his surprise visit to the residence of police personnel killed in various terrorist attacks in Islamabad was to see the way how they were coping with life after their loss.
The Prime Minister who drove his unmarked armoured land cruiser to the dilapidated flats in Sector G-9/2 condoled with the families of police personnel. He expressed deep grief and sorrow over the tragic incidents and offered Fateha for the departed souls.
Gilani visited the residence of the family of Inspector Safdar Hussain and also met the families of constables Aftab Hussain Kayani and Haji Muhammad Ilyas, who were killed in a bomb blast near Melody in 2008. He also met the family of constable Abdul Mannan who was martyred in Egyptian Embassy blast in 1995.
He declared to promote the children of police martyrs from constables to ASIs, who had joined police force after matriculation.
He said the Government would enhance the capacity building of police personnel and provide them effective training to fight terrorism. The Prime Minister said the whole nation was proud over the sacrifices of police staffers who laid their lives for the country.
He paid glowing tributes to the martyred officials and constables who made a history of courage and valour while performing their official duties.
When asked about the Governments incentives for police personnel, the Prime Minister said salaries of Islamabad Police had already been equated with the Punjab Police. He said he had already disbursed Rs 0.3 million for the education of martyrs children.
About the discrepancy in amount of compensation announced for the victims of terrorists attacks in different parts of the country, he said the federal and provincial governments had their rules and regulations for such allocations.
However, the Prime Minister said he had directed to streamline the issue of financial compensation to the martyrs families.
The families of the police martyrs, still showing strains of their loss, expressed gratitude to the prime minister for his solidarity with them.
Gilani expressed displeasure over the condition of residential flats in G-9/2 and said they looked like slums. He directed the Capital Development Authority to ensure early maintenance of the place in its drive to celebrate its golden jubilee.
The residents appreciated the Prime Ministers acknowledgment to the national heroes and hoped that it would also improve the conditions in their locality.