Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday said strong provinces guaranteed a strong federation and stressed provincial unity over issues of national importance.
He said the country was at the crossroads and urged the provincial governments and people to forge unity by shunning regionalism.
“It is time to stop identifying yourselves as Punjabis, Sindhis, Pakhtuns, Saraikis and Balochs. Your identity should be a Pakistani,” he said at the inaugural ceremony of the second phase of distribution of Watan Cards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Gilani said the country was facing terrorism besides confronting the challenges of massive floods and dengue epidemic and called for the joining of hands between provinces, people and political parties to resolve the problems in an effective way. He lauded the nation for braving every challenge with great courage.
The PM dismissed the criticism over the government’s appeal to international community for generation of funds for flood-hit people in Sindh, adding that the request was made because the disaster was large scale. Gilani also lauded the contribution of Frontier Constabulary personnel who had sacrificed their ‘present for the future of people’. He termed provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain as a symbol of courage, who had bravely faced many challenges while countering terrorism.
The PM mentioned the provision of rights to three small provinces which he said had started yielding results for the masses.
The PM announced the establishment of a cadet college in Charsadda, adding that the Munda Dam would be completed soon.
Unite on national issues, Gilani urges provinces
