Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.—FIle Photo

KHAIRPUR: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the 20th Amendment will ensure that the next general elections are free and fair.

He said consultations would be held with all political parties about a caretaker set-up.

Talking to reporters at Pir Jo Goth on Sunday, he said conspiracies had always been hatched against democratic prime ministers. If the prime ministers elected in the past had been allowed to complete their terms the country would not have faced the current situation, he said.

When asked about the contempt of court case against him, the prime minister said his lawyer would file his reply.

He said only lucky people achieved martyrdom and he did not know if he would be a martyr or a ‘Ghazi’.

He said Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi would be invited to the all parties conference on Balochistan and he had asked the Sindh chief minister to contact all parties in this connection.

The prime minister said about 80 per cent of the Charter of Democracy had been implemented.

The prime minister said PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif had also accepted that the president enjoyed immunity from prosecution.

Mr Gilani flew to Pir Jo Goth from Sukkur in the morning to offer condolences to the 8th Pir Pagara on the death of his father Pir Shah Mardan Shah.

He visited Dargah Rashidia, laid a floral wreath on the grave of the late Pir Pagara and offered Fateha. He also met Pir Sadaruddin Rashdi and Ali Gohar Shah Rashdi, brothers of Pir Pagara.

Waseem Shamsi adds from Sukkur: The prime minister said the APC on Balochistan would be convened soon.

He said the government had been given a mandate for five years and completion of its tenure would strengthen the democratic system.

Replying to a question, he said the cabinet had approved negotiations between the commerce ministries of Pakistan and India which would be held in accordance with the national interest.

Shamimur Rahman adds from Karachi: Talking to Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at Governor’s House before going to Pir Jo Goth, the prime minister emphasised that continuity of political process was important for stability without which the dream of peace, prosperity and the progress of the country could not be realised.

He said the 20th Amendment would strengthen the Election Commission and no-one would question the credibility of the electoral process.

The governor and chief minister praised the prime minister’s stance of rejecting US intervention in Balochistan.

The governor said a consultative process had become an essential component of Pakistani politics which would strengthen democracy.

APP adds: The prime minister did not rule out the possibility of early general elections and said the issue could be discussed after the Senate polls and the presentation of the budget in May.

He told reporters that Afghan President Hamid Karzai had been assured during his recent visit of Pakistan’s full support to an Afghan-led and -owned peace process.

He said a move towards consultation for granting the ‘most favoured nation’ status to India was only meant to ensure that there was ‘no discrimination in trade’ as was the case with about 100 other countries.

Since his government took over in 2008, he said, the volume of trade across the Line of Control had been recorded at Rs15 billion.

He said the annual trade between China and India, despite their border disputes, was to the tune of $60 billion.