ISLAMABAD - Hinting at bowing out to save the system, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said the Parliament and the system were of far more significance than the premiership and he would sacrifice his position, if required, for the continuity of the democratic order in the country.
Talking to media persons after addressing the opening ceremony of Pakistan’s first on grid solar power generation system, Gilani said he did not see any threat from Mian Nawaz Sharif or Imran Khan because, according to him, they were not part of the Parliament.
Coming down hard on the PML-N chief, the prime minister said Nawaz remained prime minister of the country twice but had done nothing for the betterment of the people.
Making mockery of the petitions filed by the PML-N and the PTI challenging Speaker Fehmida Mirza's ruling in his disqualification case, Gilani said these were nothing more than searching for a black cat in the dark.
He emphatically said they would not let a bunch of people to hold the Parliament hostage and made it clear that the Parliament would complete its mandated five-year tenure.
The prime minister criticised the attitude of PML-N and PTI in the national politics and said people should not suffer the effects of the tug of war between the two parties, adding that the nation must move forward.
He said as Nawaz and Imran were not the members of the Parliament, they did not understand the sanctity and importance of the house.
Gilani said the nation was fully aware of the PML-N’s performance, as it came into power twice but failed to deliver. “Right now, they have the government in Punjab, but its performance is zero as it failed to come up to the expectations of the masses,” the prime minister maintained.
Gilani said the PPP had not come into power through backdoors and expressed his optimism that their government would be the first democratically elected government to transfer power to the next setup in a smooth and transparent fashion. To another question, the prime minister said efforts would be made to give relief to the masses in the upcoming budget.
About the restoration of NATO supply line, he said the decision would be taken in the best national interest and following the conclusion of dialogue with the United States. He, however, said some people were trying to create confusion over the issue.
Earlier, Gilani inaugurated Pakistan's first on grid solar power generation system that would add 178 kW into the system.
The prime minister said Pakistan was blessed with immense natural resources and these would be fully utilised to overcome the energy shortage. He said the government understood the problems of the people on the account of energy shortages and exploring indigenous resources including hydel and renewable to overcome the problem once and for all.
He said the project was a reflection of the government's resolve to achieve power self-sufficiency. He said realising the country's growing power demand for the industry‚ agriculture and above all domestic sector‚ the present democratic government had initiated several projects in the energy sector. “These projects not only tap the conventional but also the renewable energy resources including wind‚ solar and biomass.”
The prime minister said, “We are seeking international investment in the vital sector to build projects that can rid Pakistan of scourge of load-shedding‚ which has so adversely affected our economic growth.”
Gilani pointed out that the identified potential of power generation from wind was about 43‚000 MW‚ whereas for solar‚ it was more than 100‚000 MW.