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ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday said no one could dare impose emergency in the country.
“There would be no martial law in the country, as the nation cannot afford it. The country’s future is linked to democracy,” he said in an interview with a private TV channel.
He said the government was confronting various challenges which had adversely affected the economy, but despite that, the government was trying to give incentive to the people in the upcoming budget.
These included no new taxes‚ creation of 100,000 jobs‚ expansion of Benazir Income Support Programme in urban and rural areas and resolving the power crisis.
To a question‚ the prime minister said the president had immunity and it had been given by parliament. He said if he did not write the letter, it meant he was protecting the constitution.
To a question, the prime minister said Pakistan was passing through an evolutionary stage and all institutions were also passing through the same process and with the passage of time, “every thing will be all right”.
About filing an appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court in the contempt case‚ Gilani said he had consulted legal experts and party leaders on the issue and consensus had been developed against the filing of the appeal.
The PM said Nawaz Sharif was fined for over speeding on the motorway and he remained a convicted prime minister or leader of the party and remained convicted for nine years. He was also sentenced for moral turpitude in the hijacking case.
Gilani said there was no charge of moral corruption against him and the only charge against him was disobedience of the court for not writing a letter to the Swiss Court as the president has complete immunity.
About load shedding‚ he said his government had added 3,600 to the national grid and many more short- and long-term power projects were in the pipeline.
Gilani also said there was no restriction on dual citizenship in the constitution and he was in favour of expatriate Pakistanis getting right to vote and becoming members of parliament.
He said law and constitution was not made for individuals and one had to look at the situation in the country and the world.
To a question, he said Dr Shakil Afridi should be given the right to defend himself in higher courts.To another question on Pakistan-US relations, he said talks were continuing between Pakistan and the United States on the reopening of NATO supply lines.
He said relations of countries could not be based on an incident, but on solid grounds.