Islamabad to seek N-reactor from US
By MUHAMMAD IRTAZA October 4, 2008 MULTAN - Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has maintained that Indo-US civil nuclear accord has opened doors of likewise opportunities for Pakistan.
“We needn’t worry about this agreement. Now we can make civil nuclear agreements too,” he added while talking to the media here at Multan Airport.
The Prime Minister held that US elections would not leave any impact on Pakistan. “We’re in contact with both presidential candidates. Whoever comes into power, he will have to respect our sovereignty,” he asserted. He said Pakistan being a frontline ally of the US in war on terror could not be neglected by them.
Referring to the foreign policy, he said that Pakistan did not stand isolated in the world as its foreign policy was very effective. He said Pakistan enjoyed very friendly relations with China, which were not on merely government-to-government level but public-to-public level as well. “We have cooperation in all fields of life. President Asif Zardari and I will soon visit China,” he declared.
To a query on conditions obtaining in tribal areas, he said dialogue was under way between the government and the tribes. “It’s the result of our initiative that tribesmen have formed their own armies to expel foreign militants from their areas,” he claimed. He said the tribes had also pronounced that they would not give refuge to any foreigner and, if found in any house, it would be burnt. He said it was for the first time that the tribesmen were also supporting the Army.
He said that it was the upper-most duty of the government to establish the writ of law, maintain peace and safeguard the Constitution. He said that the parliamentarians would soon be given an in-camera briefing on operation in tribal areas.
Answering a question on removal of 17th Amendment from the Constitution, he said that a committee would be constituted after return of the Speaker of National Assembly from the USA to decide what parts of this constitutional amendment should be removed or maintained.
He told the journalists that the government has announced the increase in support price of the wheat to boost its production. “Instead of spending Rs 60 billion on wheat import, we’d better give out Rs 10 billion to our own growers to improve national production,” he added. He said some elements attempted to negatively portray the support price issue.
To another query, he said Pakistan wanted peace in the region. “Some elements are conspiring to disrupt peace of this region and misinterpreting Islam before the West,” he said and added: “Islam teaches peace and we have to promote the real message of Islam in the world.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Gilani declared on Friday Pakistan would also demand USA to make a civil nuclear agreement with it on pattern of Indo-US accord.
“We’ll demand nuclear reactor from America too, if the same is given to India by her under civil nuclear agreement,” he said while talking to the journalists here at local Circuit House.
To a query on statements by presidential candidates in the US, he said the statements were no more than an election campaign. He said that whoever would come into power in America would have to keep Pakistan along in war on terror. “Otherwise they can’t uproot terrorism,” he added. He claimed that the financial turmoil in Pakistan took place due to terrorism. “We’ll hold dialogue with the tribesmen and ask them to support the government,” he added.
He disclosed that different mega projects costing Rs 500 million to Rs 1 billion and above were being launched in sectors like housing, health and education.
He told the journalists that three mega projects were being launched for the uplift of working class. “We’re going to start a Punjab-wide housing scheme for workers. We plan to construct 10 thousand flats across the province out of which one thousand will be built in Multan,” he added.
He said that bridges would be erected at Aiman Wala Pattan and Head Mumammad Wala besides establishing an Engineering University, international airport and a dry port. He issued instructions for renovation of Municipal Library at Qila Qasim Bagh besides directing the DCO to send a case to Secretary Local Government Punjab to rename Mumtazabad Town as Moosa Pak Shaheed Town.