Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani addresses a National Assembly session. – Photo by APP
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday said that he did not need
to take a vote of confidence, DawnNews reported.
Whoever wants to initiate a no-confidence motion in the parliament, they are free to do so, he said.
Addressing
a session of the National Assembly, Gilani said everyone should
respect the constitution and those who want to cut short the terms of
the prime minister and the president should propose amendments to the
constitution.
“Now we have to decide whether we should have
democracy or dictatorship in this country. If we have committed any
mistakes, it does not mean that democracy or parliament should be
punished,” Gilani told parliamentarians.
He further said that the government was not against any state institution.
“We
have not come here to seek martyrdom, nor are we seeking support on the
National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO),” the premier said.
“The opposition should tell us if the NRO was made by our government,” the prime minister questioned.
He further said that “if a new stage is set up, it would neither welcome the current government, nor the existing opposition”.
Regarding
the judiciary, he said: “We went to prisons for the judges…faced
treason cases for standing up for Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad
Chaudhry.”
Resolution tabled in favour of government, democracy
Also
on Friday, chief of the Awami National Party (ANP), Asfandyar Wali Khan
tabled a resolution in the NA in favour of the Parliament, government
and democracy. The House will vote on the resolution on Monday, Jan 16.
Reading
out the contents of the resolution, Wali said that the House believes
in, and will ensure the supremacy of democracy and the Parliament.
The
resolution also supports “the political leadership’s efforts to
safeguard democracy”. It also adds that the institutions should act
within their jurisdiction, while respect for the institutions is also
essential for a stable democracy.
The NA session was adjourned till Monday, Jan 16.
MQM “in favour of democracy”
The ruling party’s coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), also voiced support for democracy.
Speaking
to media representatives outside the parliament, MQM leader Haider
Abbas Rizvi said his party’s decision would be “in favour of democracy”.
Rizvi
advised the government to avoid confrontations, saying that the country
was passing through a critical phase, and that conflict between
institutions was highly undesirable at this stage.
However, he
stopped short of openly expressing support for the resolution, saying
that a decision would be announced after a draft of the resolution was
received.
