LAHORE, Oct 31: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Friday advised the parliamentarians and politicians to work within the limits set by the Constitution and revile not the armed forces or the judiciary as those crossing the line would have to face consequences.

Addressing a select gathering at an Iftar organized by Governor Khalid Maqbool at the Governor’s House, the prime minister said those who had been members of parliament for two or three terms should weigh their words before speaking out.

The prime minister did not name anyone but left least doubt that his remarks referred to the arrest of ARD president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and the subsequent protests.

Mr Jamali said the matter should not be played up.

Citing his own example, the prime minister said he was working strictly within the confines of the Constitution and was facing no problem whatsoever. Other leaders should also follow suit, he said, assuring opposition parties that he would be tolerant to all kind of criticism of himself.

Mr Jamali said economic, defence and foreign policies given by President Musharraf would remain in force and any change would be made in them only when dictated by national interest.

He said he wanted to give provinces all subjects which should be with them for the better working of the system. He specifically mentioned health and education in this regard.

Referring to the ongoing feud between the district and provincial governments over the control of the system of local government, the prime minister said the subject could be better handled by provinces and the National Reconstruction Bureau had been told to take necessary steps for the purpose.

Describing bureaucracy as permanent government, the prime minister directed officials not to play in the hands of politicians. He also urged political leaders not to use bureaucrats for their personal interests.

“A bureaucrat may be friend of some politician, not his servant”.

Mr Jamali made an attractive offer to those having their money in foreign countries and desirous of investing the same in their motherland. He said such people were free to set up industries in Pakistan and the government would facilitate them. He indicated that such people would not have to face any punitive action for keeping their money abroad.

The prime minister said his government would offer all possible facilities to promote industrialization, in the absence of which many problems would remain without solution.

He said he was aware of the importance of higher education to meet the challenges of the 21st century and for this purpose he had already revived scholarship for students studying in Iran, Saudi Arabia and China. He said he was seriously thinking of extending the facility for study in the European countries as well.

The prime minister asked the chancellors of universities to examine the issue from all aspects.

He asked the ulema and intellectuals to play their role in the eradication of sectarianism which was bringing a bad name to the country.

The prime minister was all praise for the Punjab government for its performance in various sectors.

Punjab is a trend-setter and whatever it does is emulated by other federating units, Mr Jamali said.

He said he had no complaint against the Punjab government during the past one year but could not say whether the reverse was also true.

Governor Khalid Maqbool said the one-year performance of the provincial governments under the leadership of Gen Pervez Musharraf was superb.