ISLAMABAD, April 30: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has described reports about a likely ouster of his government and early elections in the country as 'rumours' and said that parliament will complete its constitutional term.

Talking to newsmen at the Chaklala airbase on his return from a nine-day visit to the southeast Asian countries on Friday, he said those involved in spreading such rumours "should stop firing shots in the air".

"Pakistan is in need of democracy, and parliament and the system will continue to run smoothly," he said, adding "there is a difference between a rumour and reality...and the reality is before you and I am before you."

The prime minister said he did not pay any heed to such rumours. In reply to a question regarding the criticism of his government by the senior vice-president of his own party, the PML-Q, Mr Jamali said he was open to criticism and had patience to hear such things.

"No one can stop anyone from issuing statements," he said. However, he said he would soon hold a meeting with party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to get a clear picture of the 'developments' that took place in his absence.

Mr Jamali said he did not have any complaint against any of his coalition partners or the party colleagues. Answering a question about reports of PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif's possible return to the country, the prime minister said in his assessment the PML-N leader would never come back. However, he pointed out, the government would respect any decision of the court in this regard.

When his comments were sought on the ongoing wheat crisis in the country, he said fresh wheat had already arrived in all the provinces. "Even if there is any problem among the provinces, it will be resolved through dialogue," he said and added that no province could snap power supply to other province and similarly no province could ban movement of wheat to other province.

Mr Jamali denied that the recent decision to reduce 50,000 personnel in the army had been taken due to foreign pressure. "There was no such pressure, I am telling you." He termed his visit successful and hoped that it would help increase foreign investment in the country.

Mr Jamali said that on the sidelines of the Bao Business Forum meeting in China, he had also held talks with former US president George Bush (senior), who appreciated Pakistan's role in the war against terrorism.

On Pakistan's entry into the Asean Regional Forum, the prime minister said he had got a positive response from all the countries he had visited and expressed the hope that India would not oppose Pakistan's inclusion in the forum this time.