SHARM EL-SHEIKH: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said there is no pressure on his government against reinstating the deposed judges and they will be restored as soon as the modalities are worked out.

Addressing a news conference here on Monday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Middle East, the prime minister said experts were working out the modalities and would soon come up with their recommendations.

(According to APP, Mr Gilani said: “There is a sitting chief justice and there is another chief justice who is to be reinstated. Naturally we have to have one chief justice and this issue is being worked out by the constitutional experts.”)

He said the people of Pakistan were mature, intelligent and patient. “They want to give the government time and we will not let them down on this issue.”

The prime minister said there was no threat to the coalition government because it was broad-based and its objective was to serve the masses.

He said he had not accepted the resignation of Pakistan Muslim League-N ministers because he hoped they would rejoin the cabinet soon after the reinstatement of the judges.

Mr Gilani said he had informed US President George Bush that the government had decided to follow a three-pronged strategy to deal with terrorism and extremism — holding dialogue with people who were not militants or who would

decommission themselves and cooperate with the government in combating terrorism; launching development activities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to improve the living standard, communications and job and business opportunities; and, finally, using troops. He said the United States had expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts.

The prime minister said Pakistan was facing the brunt of the war on terrorism. There were over three million Afghan refugees in the country which was being hit badly by the global food scarcity. “We are not only catering to our own needs but of Afghanistan as well and wheat is also being smuggled to the Central Asian republics.”

He said Pakistan was contributing $300 million for reconstruction of Afghanistan and it wanted stability in that country.

About Pakistan’s relations with India, the prime minister said that core issues, including the Kashmir dispute, had to be addressed. He said the Kashmiris wanted the right to self-determination.

He said Pakistan wanted to maintain excellent relations with India and expected reciprocity from the other side.

Prime Minister Gilani said during his stay here he had discussions with leaders of different Muslim countries which wanted to share experiences in science and technology, information technology, agriculture, defence and intelligence.

He said his first visit abroad as the head of the government had given him an opportunity to share the vision of a resurgent Pakistan under democracy with world leaders and their response had been positive.

He said restoration of democracy had offered the country an opportunity to galvanise political support and create more economic opportunities for its people.

He said the government wanted to ensure rapid economic growth, attract investment, create employment opportunities and promote social and economic development.