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| 26 April 2004 | Monday | 05 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 |
Unification of PML on May 2, says Jamali
HONG KONG, April 25: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said here on Sunday different factions of the Pakistan Muslim League would announce their merger on May 2 so as to collectively work for the welfare of the masses.
Addressing a dinner hosted in his honour by the Pakistan Association of Hong Kong, Mr Jamali said democracy in Pakistan was getting stronger and democratic institutions were working well. Efforts were under way for bringing all the factions of the PML together, he added.
Pakistan's transition to democracy was moving ahead steadily, he said. There were some problems, he said, hoping that these would be solved amicably. Issues like the LFO, the prime minister said, were part of the democratic process and there was nothing to worry about.
He said the government was endeavouring to bring relief to the common man and a plan was being chalked out to ease their burden in next budget. Prime Minister Jamali said he felt it was the responsibility of his government to leave behind good traditions. In this context, he called for adhering to principles and exercising self-constraint.
He said those in high positions "need to be the trendsetters, so that people follow them". Referring to Pakistan's improving ties with India, he said the road, train and air links of the two countries had been restored, but resolution of the Kashmir issue was a must for normalizing relations.
"Pakistan would like a dignified resolution of the Kashmir dispute," he added. About Afghanistan, the premier said, Pakistan supported the Bonn process and the government of President Hamid Karzai. Reconstruction of Afghanistan was a difficult task, he added.
Pakistan, he further said, was a frontline state in the war against terrorism and enjoyed good ties with the United States. Pakistan-China ties were solid and the two countries were undertaking a number of joint ventures, he said.
In reply to a question, he said the issue of getting visas for Hong Kong and China would be taken up with the relevant quarters by his government. Hong Kong was the hub of all business activities, he said, and invited the expatriate Pakistanis to also invest in Pakistan.
He allayed their fears and concerns about the security situation in the country and assured that their investment would be fully protected. To a remark that money of some expatriate Pakistanis, who had invested in real estate in their country, had ended up with the 'qabza groups', the prime minister assured that action would be taken on a case-by-case basis.
The issue of voting right for the expatriate Pakistanis would be discussed in parliament, he said. Mr Jamali said Pakistanis abroad should serve as ambassadors of their country and refrain from such activities which might bring bad name to the country.
When a questioner pointed out that Pakistanis could not view PTV telecasts in Hong Kong, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the government was pursuing a liberal policy in this regard and seven private channels had been given licences while 14 others were in the pipeline. -APP
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