June 04, 2007	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 18, 1428

ISLAMABAD, June 3: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Sunday that national institutions were being criticised as part of a conspiracy against the country.

Talking to newsmen after visiting a utility store, the prime minister said criticism against the armed forces by an institution, group or individual would be considered as a conspiracy against the country.

Terming the armed forces a national asset, he said the forces had been playing an important role for progress and prosperity of the country.

He said at difficult moments armed forces were called for help. He particularly eulogised the role played by the forces after the earthquake of October 2005.

Responding to a question about the visits of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to different parts of the country to address bar associations, the prime minister said the chief justice was free to go anywhere.

Answering a question about the policy planning group of the Pakistan Muslim League, he said it was a consultative group of the party, which discussed political and national issues.

He said PML secretary general Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed was spokesperson of the group and authorised to speak about its deliberations.

Referring to the statement of Imam-e-Kaaba on the issue of Jamia Hafsa, he said the Imam had rightly pointed out that the issue should be resolved through negotiations. He said the writ of the government should not be challenged, adding that efforts were being made to resolve the issue through negotiations.

He said PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and other party leaders had been negotiating with the representatives of Jamia Hafsa to resolve the issue in a peaceful manner.

He said that the government believed in freedom of the press but the media should exercise it with responsibility.

The prime minister said the electronic media should abide by the rules, regulations and code of ethics, passed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).

The prime minister said the government was proud of freedom of media in the country and expansion of TV channels which had created job opportunities. However, he said, the freedom of expression should not be used against national institutions.