Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the re-sizing of federal cabinet is currently in consultation process. Talking to a nine-member journalists delegation here on Sunday, he said the ministers' performance was not the only criterion to re-size the federal cabinet, as other aspects including constitutional provisions, budgetary constraints as well as coalition partners' share was also kept very much in view.
He also made it clear that relieving of a minister doesn't mean that his/her performance was not satisfactory.
To a question, he said that according to constitution, federal cabinet consists of 11 percent of the parliamentarians with five percent representation from the Senate, adding that they can resolve administrative and other matters in this regard at their own, however, they will move jointly on the legislative matters such as re-constitution of the Election Commission. All the coalition partners, he said, are being consulted and taken into confidence on cabinet issue.
To another question, the Prime Minister said that they do not believe in 'deadline' in the politics, saying: "We (the politicians) are friends and not the masters of each others, and our coalition partners can approach us for any matter of national interest."
He added that they had accepted Nawaz Sharif's 10-point agenda after reviewing it thoroughly, and nobody should doubt on our sincerity to pull the country out of the economic crisis. For the first time in Pakistan's history, he said, all the politicians, while setting aside their party affiliation and patty differences, are united on all the matters of national importance including political stability, supremacy of the constitution and parliament, and strengthening of democracy.
About Raymond Davis, the Premier said that it was a very sensitive issue, which should be resolved with maturity, adding that since the matter is sub judice so everybody should be careful about it.
He said as foreign countries were approaching Pakistan government in this regard through diplomatic and congressional channels to work out proper way to settle down the issue amicably, they had advised them to contact the country's court as nowadays the courts were working with great freedom.
To a journalist's query, Gilani said that Pakistan's economy was now improving and this fact could be well judged from the facts that export ratio was doubled from that of last year; foreign reserves were all time high, stock exchange had jumped up from 5500 to 12500 points, the foreign remittances were almost doubled.
"There was acute shortage of wheat-flour in the country, when PPP come into power, but today Pakistan is exporting wheat despite the worst flood calamity that affected 20 million people and millions of acres fertile lands," he added.
The Prime Minister, however, stressed the need for enlarging the tax base by discouraging the tendency of tax evading and non-declaring of assets by individuals. The tax-evading tendency in Pakistan has concerned the international community, which argues that how they can provide their taxpayers money as assistance to Pakistan, while its own people do not pay the tax, he maintained.
To a query, he said that there were some vested interests and their lobbies working against the promotion of tax culture in Pakistan, and they were in dialogue with leadership of all the political parties including PML-N, PML-Q, MQM, ANP, JUI and of the FATA to find ways and means to effectively end economic crisis.
The prime minister said that successive governments in Pakistan had been in favour of constructing Kalabagh Dam (KBD) but none took sincere steps such as allocation of funds for the purpose. He said former NWFP Governor Fazal-e-Haq was first to politicise this vital matter by issuing a controversial statement and since then, Pakistan could not build the dam.
Gilani said that he took the Diamir-Bhasha Dam Project to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and managed to get its approval in just one day, which prevented it from being politicised. He said that he would soon lay foundation stone of this mega dam.
He said that all the controversial projects of national importance including KBD would be decided at the CCI, and if the Council failed to develop consensus the matter will be taken up in the joint sitting of the parliament.
Regarding the public sector institutions and the corporations running in loss, Gilani said that all parties were on the same page in this regard.
To a question, the prime minister said that "it is my personal opinion that provinces should hold LG polls and it will be better that these were held on the same day and have a uniform policy on the LG system. However, I will not interfere in local government system, since the matter is a provincial subject," he said.
Asked about corruption charges against some high officials, Gilani said that he would not comment on this matter because it was pending before the court. He said that government would abide by the verdict of the court.
The government was holding consultation with all the coalition partners and parliamentary parties on the Accountability Bill, he said. Gilani said Pakistan and Turkey have established strategic partnership and both the brotherly countries have agreed to hold joint meeting of their parliaments every year.
He said the meeting would be jointly chaired by Prime Ministers of both the countries. The two sides would also ensure exchange of visits of their top leadership, besides frequent visits by foreign ministers of one to the other country. Pakistan was also striving to establish similar partnership with China as well, he added.