Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said opposition is required to follow the Constitution and mobilise masses for elections in 2013 as call for an early poll is a frivolous demand. Speaking in an online television programme hosted jointly by AAJ News and PTV Gilani said since the present government is about to enter its fifth year of rule and has started preparations towards presenting its fifth budget in June 2012, any talk about early elections is a "joke".
"How can you afford to dislodge an elected government? It [such an action] would be an invitation to a third party," he remarked. "There is a Constitutional process. If they (the opposition parties) do not like me they can bring a no-confidence motion against me in the assembly," he remarked and added that similarly the Constitution also provides for a process of impeachment of the President. The Prime Minister said the Federal Cabinet has held in-depth discussions on the energy sector and the issues related to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The Cabinet approved many recommendations of the energy committee headed by Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. The committee is tasked to bring about improvement in the energy sector and Water and Power Ministry is being restructured, he added. Gilani said that Governor State Bank of Pakistan is assigned to formulate proposals for restructuring of Pakistan Railways.
He said nowhere in the world does railway earn profit through passenger trains. Double tracks are needed for the freight trains, he added. He said Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) wants to take over Pakistan Steel Mills to make it a profit-making entity. According to him, he has talked to President Zardari on the issue.
He said he raised the issue of restructuring of public sector entities during his interaction with businessmen in Australia. "I will soon announce a two-year plan to change the whole economy and turn around the state-owned entities," he added. He said now provinces have the authority to undertake energy projects, which can help reduce power outages. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is taking steps towards launching energy projects and the Punjab Government should do the same, he added.
According to him, all resources will be utilised and numerous short, medium and long term energy projects will be initiated. Talks are under way for the import of 500 to 1000 megawatt of electricity from India, he said. He said the Council of Common Interest (CCI) unanimously approved building of Diamer-Bhasha Dam, which will produce 4000 megawatt of electricity and increase the life of Tarbela Dam by 35 years.
In response to a question, the Prime Minister said successive governments took up the issue of Kalabagh Dam but never allocated funds for this project in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Any mega project of national importance should only be carried out with consensus, he stressed. Gilani said no party is in a position to secure absolute majority or a two-thirds majority in the next elections and he, therefore, foresees a coalition government in 2013. To a question, he said "Seraiki province" is the wish of the people of Southern Punjab as they have a strong sense of deprivation.
"It is their right and they should get their right." PPP has formed a manifesto committee to look into the issue and he has invited President Zardari to meet political leadership, business community and people of Southern Punjab in this regard. He wondered whether Punjab Assembly supports any demand for new provinces.
He said Pakistan Peoples Party is the only party with representation in all the four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. In response to a question about the country's economic situation, he said global recession, war on terror, floods and energy crisis hit the economy and stalled the industrial growth. He, however, added that despite these challenges, the country's market's position has done reasonably well.
The Prime Minister did not agree with the impression that the government's financial managers are not sufficiently strong or competent, adding, "economic indicators are better placed and we are moving in the right direction." According to him, circular debt is a major hurdle. He, however, added that the government is striving to resolve the issue of circular debt and the Ministry of Finance has been directed to resolve the issue in an appropriate manner. Gilani, however, added that he has directed the concerned institutions to ensure scheduled load management to ease the problems of masses. In response to a question by a live caller, the Prime Minister said women and minorities were his constituency and the women were being empowered through various measures.