No in-house change in Parliament: Kundi

KARACHI - Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday ruled out the possibility of in-house change in the parliament. Addressing a press conference during his Karachi visit, he said: There is no pressure on President Asif Zardari. The President, Prime Minister and Parliament will complete their tenure and the PM has taken all decisions with consensus. There is no threat to the Parliament. He was accompanied by the PPPs officials Jameel Soomro and Sharjeel Inam Memon at PPP Sindh Media Cell. He described the passing of NFC Award a historic decision and said the federal and provincial governments gave good news to the people of Pakistan through unanimous approval of the Award. Referring to the constitutional package, he pointed out that a 27-member committee is dealing with the issue and soon the package will also be brought before the people. He recalled that while addressing the Parliament last year, President Asif Zardari had asked the Speaker National Assembly to set up the committee on Constitution package to determine the balance of powers. Kundi said that the nation would hear good news about 58(2)-B and 17th Amendment before the start of New Year. He said that despite the fact that there were provincial governments of various political parties, the unanimous decision on NFC was a positive step for country and democracy. The present government is determined to take the country out of crisis and it would march ahead by taking its allies and the provinces into confidence. He pointed out that present government gave Gilgit-Baltistan the status of Province and held elections there which were participated by even those parties who had boycotted the 2008 elections. It is also an achievement of PPP that 18 NA Standing Committees were headed by the Opposition. Replying a question, he said that it was also an achievement of PPP NWFP that a resolution for change of name of the province was presented in the assembly and any decision taken by the party would be welcomed. He said that the PPP welcomes the positive criticism of the media. Referring to army operation against terrorists, he said that our armed forces are fully capable of dealing with them and it fully enjoys the support of political government. He was of the view that foreign hand is involved in the ongoing terrorism in the country, but still Pakistan wants good relations with its neighbours. He pointed out that destabilisation of Pakistan, Afghanistan and India was not in anyones interest in the region. To a question he said that issue of drone attacks was raised in the National Assembly and a clear message was conveyed that the people of Pakistan would not tolerate such attacks. He asked the political parties which had boycotted the last elections to tell the people what they had done during their 5-year tenure and which of the countrys problems they solved. Regarding MQM, he said it was our ally. They support us on some issues and oppose on some other matters. Kundi described Aitzaz Ahsan an asset for the PPP and the party would decide for any responsibility to be given to him. Regarding NRO, he said that only politicians were being criticised but no one talk about those 8,000 who were benefited from this ordinance.

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