ISLAMABAD – With the 45-day deadline to implement the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s 10-point reforms agenda set to expire on Friday, Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gilani indicated on Wednesday that the government would continue to follow its policy of engaging political parties without being dictated to.
Speaking to a group of parliamentarians, the PM said that the process of consultation and dialogue should not be held hostage by a deadline because it adversely affects the people’s welfare. He said that the government would not succumb to such pressure. He said further that the government had not restricted dialogue on economic reforms to the PML-N alone, and had involved all political parties in the process.
Gilani said that the government had followed a policy of political engagement with all democratic entities in the country and always welcomed suggestions. He said that a new trend of political accommodation and tolerance had been set in the national political arena, which would help the overall progress and development of the country.
Separately, at a meeting of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and its allies at the PM House, Gilani sought proposals from the coalition partners on the appointment of the chief election commissioner, accountability law and the recovery of loans that had been written off by previous governments. Gilani stated that decisions should be taken in national interest and political confrontation, egoism and stubbornness should be avoided. He said further that the government had raised wages by 50 percent to offset the rise in commodity prices and global recession.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar presented his party’s proposals for economic reform in the meeting, and the Awami National Party (ANP) stated that it would support the government for the entirety of its term. Officials from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) said they wanted a status independent of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a source told Pakistan Today.
The PM said that the government’s economic team had been working vigorously to improve the Pakistani people’s standard of life, efforts confirmed by economic indicators that had shown signs of improvement with foreign reserves at an all-time high and a major increase in exports. He said that people would reap the benefits of economic reforms very soon. Gilani praised the support from all political parties on various occasions and said he hoped for the same kind of spirit in days to come.
