PM sees coalition intact

Prime Minister Gilani said that at the end of July he would hold talks with President Bush focusing on enhanced bilateral trade and commercial ties.

Pakistan and United States have multi-faceted relations and the next meeting will strengthen economic cooperation, he added

He rejected the impression that the government did not achieve much during its first 100 days.

The Prime Minister will soon address the nation to apprise it of the achievements the government has made in its 100 days.

He said the government would not put blame on the previous government about the economic situation.

“We have accepted the challenge and we will put the economy on the right track,” he added.

For this purpose, he said we have to control law and order. He said if law and order situation is good, the economy will certainly improve. He said more incentives would be provided to the foreign investors in Pakistan.

To a question about the issue of deposed judges, he said the government has inherited the problem of judges and the manifesto of PPP and Benazir Bhutto made the pledge to restore the judges.

PPP was also part of the long march taken out for revival of judiciary, he recalled.

He said the law and order situation was normal when the PPP assumed power but then two incidents in Islamabad and Karachi occurred.

“We are tackling the situation. The government facilitated and managed a peaceful long march,” he said adding the conference at Lal Masjid in Islamabad was also managed properly until a suicide bomber carried out an attack on policemen deployed there.

He said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto raised this issue again and again and it was our government that released the deposed judges and paid their salaries.

Gilani said procedure and technicalities were a problem in the way of restoration of judges and modalities were being laid down to settle things.

The judges will be restored through a constitutional package, which will be moved in the parliament after consensus among the coalition partners, he added.

To a question regarding impeachment of President, he said the issue would be moved in the parliament after the parties reach a consensus on it. “The parliament has the right to take decision on it.”

He denied any problems in the ruling alliance, saying PML-N and PPP were running coalition governments in the centre and Punjab.

He said the coalition is intact despite the fact that both parties have separate manifestos and policies.

To a question about reservations of ANP on some matters, Prime Minister said there is no serious problem among the allies.