Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday said due to his continued interaction with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, there was no repeat of the blame game of 2008 and after the recent Mumbai bombings the Indian government had acted ‘maturely’ and admitted to its intelligence failure.
Addressing a gathering of intellectuals, writers and poets at the launch of his new initiative, ‘PM in dialogue with the nation’ at the PM’s Secretariat, Gilani said there was an urgent need to develop a vision to help redress issues of the changing times.
Acknowledging the positive contribution of the literati towards a tolerant society, Gilani assured drawing up of national strategy based on their suggestions to cope with the internal and external challenges. “The government will formulate a comprehensive strategy in consultation with various segments of the society to steer the country out of current crises,” he said.
Under the dialogue, the suggestions would be incorporated into the address of the prime minister to be delivered to the nation on August 14.
He urged the writers and poets to take forward the reconciliation policy of government and play their role in the progress and prosperity of the country.
During the meeting, the participants urged the national leadership to standup to the challenges facing the nation and take bold decisions. The writers and intellectuals from all over the country spoke on the necessity of developing a national curriculum that inculcates amongst the young minds a commitment to the country and a spirit of nationalism.
Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan wanted good ties with all countries without accepting the hegemony of any, on basis of mutual respect and interests. He recalled his meetings with the Indian prime minister and Afghan President Hamid Karzai and said those led to improvement of bilateral ties. He said had the provincial autonomy been given earlier, Pakistan would still have been united. He said the Pakistan People’s Party would protect the constitution and the country at all costs, whether it was in power or not.
To a question about the judiciary-executive clash, Gilani said his government had always accorded respect to state institutions and restored the judiciary.
Acknowledging their struggle against dictatorial regimes, he expressed confidence that poets and intellectuals through their invaluable suggestions would help put the country on the right course.
Tthe prime minister said besides implementing its manifesto, eighty percent of the Charter of Democracy signed by Benazir Bhutto and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had been implemented.
Referring to the recommendations of the poets and writers on the promotion of the education sector, the prime minister said under the 18th Amendment the health and education sectors had been devolved to the federating units. “Nonetheless, the federal government will continue to support the provinces on policy matters,” he said, adding that a conference on education to be attended by all chief ministers would soon be organised to formulate a policy for implementation at the grass roots level.
On the prices of essential commodities, the prime minister said the government was providing daily used items at subsidised rates at utility stores while efforts were also being made to check their prices in the open market.
About the situation in Karachi, the prime minister said the provincial capital was the economic hub of Pakistan and a political process had been initiated to control the situation there. He said it was the entire nation’s collective responsibility to revive peace in Karachi.
Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan said poets and writers were social engineers and social doctors and their recommendations would help promote inter faith and religious harmony in the society.
