May 23, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 17, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 22: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday and exchanged views with him on pressing political issues.

Maulana Fazl, who was accompanied by Leader of the Opposition in the Frontier assembly Akram Khan Durrani, also discussed his party’s share in the cabinet and his own appointment as chairman of the Kashmir Committee.

Senator Rahmatullah Kakar is already in the cabinet and his younger brother, Ataur Rahman, whose poll results were delayed, is set to take over the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Another JUI-F leader from Balochistan, Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani, has been promised the post of chairman of the Islamic Ideology Council in place of Dr Khalid Masood.

According to an official handout, the two leaders discussed ways of strengthening the coalition government and development funds for the NWFP in the coming budget.

Maulana Fazl appreciated the efforts being made by the government to keep the coalition intact and assured his party’s support for the government.

Prime Minister Gilani also met columnists and editors of newspapers. He said that the Pakistan People’s Party was serious about resolving the judicial crisis and believed in strengthening all institutions of the country.

“People have given us the mandate for restoration of democracy and supremacy of parliament. We have to strengthen all institutions, including the judiciary, and we are committed to reinstating the deposed judges. This is our commitment to the nation,” Mr Gilani said.

He said that even before the general election his party had been advocating for independence of the judiciary and supremacy of parliament.

During a meeting with PPP MPA Fauzia Behram, Mr Gilani said the government was committed to restoring the 1973 Constitution.