ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday condemned the politics of agitation by PML-N, which, he said, wanted the fall of PPP-led government before Senate elections in March, but the masses would not accept it and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would emerge as a single largest party in the Senate.
“There are all the indications that PPP will emerge as a single largest party in the Senate after March elections with its coalition partners, and they (the PML-N leaders) want the fall of government before March by hook or by crook,” Gilani said in an interview with a private television on Saturday evening.
The prime minister criticised the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) for provoking people and promoting the politics of agitation in the name of electricity loadshedding or any other issue. “it will not be acceptable to masses,” he added.
To a question about the reports of PML-N's intentions for en-bloc resignations from the assemblies to block the Senate elections, he said majority of the PML-N members of parliament would not support such a move.
“I have talked to several PML-N parliamentarians, who said they will not support any such move,” he said.
The prime minister, however, added that any unconstitutional act would not be good for the country and democracy.
Mr Gilani also criticised the PML-N leaders for accepting turn-coats in Punjab as a “forward bloc” and said by doing so they had abandoned the 'politics of principles'. On the other hand PPP did not indulge itself into such a practice at the centre and formed a coalition with political parties in a democratic way, he added.
The PM also rejected the PML-N's claim of getting restored the judges through a long-march and added that all the political forces, including Benazir Bhutto, and civil society staged protest rallies for the restoration of judges.
“When I was elected Leader of the House in the National Assembly, I ordered the release of judges,” he added.
The prime minister said, “Politics is a day to day affair.” “Mian Nawaz Sharif had told me that if judges are restored, the government will complete its five year term,”he added.
Replying to a question on the issue of problems like loadshedding and price hike, the PM said, “Mian Sahib had said in the APC that no single party can resolve the issues and challenges being faced by the country and it required joint efforts.”
“They (the PML-N leaders) do not have any magic wand to resolve these issues overnight,” he said.
Referring to the victory of a PML-N candidate in the recent by-elections in Sahiwal, the PM recalled the by-elections in Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur and Gujranwala where the PML-N candidates faced defeats.
To a question on the removal of bar on becoming third-time Prime Minister through 18th constitutional amendment, which benefitted Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister said PPP did it for the restoration of constitution and also fulfilled the commitment of Benazir Bhutto.
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