Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said reservations of different parties on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee for National Security (PCNS) will be removed about terms of re-engagement with the United States.
He was talking to the media at the Chaklala airbase before his departure for China to participate in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference.
Gilani once again reiterated that only the parliament will decide about the country’s foreign policy and its future contour of relations with the United States and the NATO.
He pointed out that soon after the Salala Check Post incident, the government acted swiftly and closed down the NATO supplies and got the Shamsi Airbase vacated from the US. He said the parliamentary committee on national security unanimously chalked out recommendations for new terms of engagement with the US and NATO and expressed the confidence that the parliament also will pass them with consensus. He said reservations of different parties on the recommendations will be removed.
When asked about the energy crisis in the country, the prime minister said he has convened an energy conference to be held in Lahore on the 9th of next month. He said the holding of this conference in Lahore will give a message to the people that the government is serious to resolve the issue.
During his two day stay, Gilani will address the opening session of the Boao Forum which will be attended by political, business and academic leaders from across the globe. He said the Boao forum provides an important platform for better economic cooperation with the regional countries. He will also meet with chief executives and heads of different financial institutions and apprise them about the potential that Pakistan offers for investment.
On the sidelines of the Boao forum, the PM will meet the vice premier of China to discuss measures for further promoting co-operation in the fields of economy, energy, infrastructure, defense and education including culture.
He will also meet his Kazakh counterpart to review the progress regarding the decisions taken during the PM’s visit to the country last year. The discussions are likely to focus on energy sector, TAPI, agriculture, aviation and defense sectors. Gilani’s meeting with Italian prime minister will focus on promotion of bilateral relations, trade, and
science and technology.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan, Finance Minister Hafiz Sheikh and Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar are accompanying the prime minister.
