ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday that peace in Afghanistan was critical for peace and security in Pakistan and the country would not support any political settlement of the Afghan imbroglio which could destabilise it.

He was talking to a 12-member delegation of members of the upper house of the Afghan parliament (Masharano jirga) led by Fazle Hadi Muslimyar. The delegation arrived here on Monday on a two-day visit for talks on efforts being made for peace in their country.

Prime Minister Gilani reiterated that Pakistan would continue to support an Afghan-led and -owned reconciliation process that would not cause instability in Pakistan.

He stressed the need for both countries joining hands to combat terrorism.

The prime minister and the Afghan senators agreed that exchange of visits of parliamentarians were essential to enhance relations.

He said Pakistan had consistently made sincere efforts to improve relations with Afghanistan.Mr Gilani said Pakistan had extended full cooperation to an Afghan team that had visited Islamabad in connection with investigation into the assassination of former president Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani.

He said Pakistan was committed to completing construction of the Torkham-Jalalabad road.

Pakistan, he said, was offering 2,000 scholarships to Afghan students and could increase the number if the leader of the visiting delegation so desired.  The delegation also met Senate Chairman Farooq H. Naek.

APP adds: Answering questions from callers on his monthly live television programme ‘Prime Minister Online’, Mr Gilani said: “Naturally, we are stakeholders and on the Afghan issue, we will be consulted.”

He said Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar would visit Afghanistan on Wednesday and meet President Hamid Karzai.

The prime minister said the world had agreed to the policy of dialogue, development and deterrence introduced by Pakistan to curb militancy.

He said legislation would be introduced in parliament to ensure that militants and other subversive elements did not escape punishment.

He said the new chief election commissioner would be appointed after reaching a consensus with all parties.

Unlike the past when there was Article 58-2b and governments having two-thirds majority and assemblies were removed and dissolved unconstitutionally, now it was the prime minister’s prerogative to call elections, he said.

The prime minister, however, added that he had already stated that the government was ready to discuss with the opposition after the Senate polls and budget in May the matter of general elections.

“This will be the first government when there will be a smooth transition (of power).”

He said he wanted overseas Pakistanis to have the voting right.

He said the National Assembly would take up the issue of by-elections and “we are evolving consensus in this regard”.

The issue of new provinces would also be brought to parliament after building consensus, he said.

He said he did not want to politicise the issue of deaths in Punjab caused by spurious medicines.

When asked to comment on reported remarks of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif against President Asif Ali Zardari, he said: “They want to prove that they are from the opposition.”

He said it was part of PPP’s manifesto and vision of its late leader Benazir Bhutto to reinstate sacked employees and regularise contract workers.

The prime minister said the finance ministry would resolve the issue of circular debt within weeks and after that there would only be scheduled loadshedding.

He said the projects of Diamer Bhasha Dam, raising of Mangla Dam, Thar coal, the TAPI pipeline, gas import from Iran and electricity import from India would help resolve the energy crisis.

He said he would visit Qatar and take up the issue of import of liquefied gas.

The prime minister said issues regarding the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project had been resolved and the work was in progress.

The prime minister said it was his prerogative to decide about granting an extension to the ISI chief.

He clarified that the government had never granted permission for drone attacks.

Parliament would also decide about steps that should be taken if there was a violation of its resolutions on drone attacks, he added.

“We are focusing on development projects, infrastructure, education and improvement of socio-economic conditions of people of tribal areas.”

Replying to a question, he said courts had taken action whenever there had been a complaint against any minister. He said the inflation rate had been curtailed to a single digit.

The prime minister said holding local government elections was the responsibility of the provinces and people should not be deprived of their right to have local representatives.

He said the Pakistan People’s Party would form an election alliance with the Pakistan Muslim League-Q.