LAHORE: Brushing aside speculations that the government has decided in principle to reopen the Nato supply routes, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said here on Friday that a decision in this regard was yet to be taken.

“The parliamentary committee has given its recommendations regarding the reopening of Nato supply routes, but my government has not yet taken a final decision,” he said, adding that President Asif Ali Zardari’s participation in the Nato summit in Chicago was not linked to restoration of ground supply routes for Nato forces in Afghanistan. “President Zardari has been invited to the Chicago conference unconditionally.”

Mr Gilani was talking to reporters after a meeting with PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at their residence in Gulberg, where he had gone to thank them for their support after his conviction by the Supreme Court.

He challenged the PML-N and his opponents to table a no-confidence motion against him or move to impeach President Zardari in a constitutional manner.

“If anyone has courage he should bring a no-confidence motion against me or impeach the president by adopting a constitutional way. No-one can remove us through democratic way. I will remain in office as long as the parliament and allies are backing me.”

Mr Gilani said governments had been packed up in unconstitutional and undemocratic ways in the past when the president had the power of 58(2b).

The PML-N should first quit the assemblies and then launch a movement against his government, he said, adding: “The people may join their (Sharif brothers) protest if they quit the (Punjab) government and assemblies. The PML-N being part of the Punjab government cannot hold a long march against the federal government.”

The prime minister said he had protected the Constitution and he did not consider it to be a crime. He asked the opposition to stop their protest because the apex court had not disqualified him.

Answering a question about his son’s alleged involvement in the ephedrine scandal, he said Ali Mosa Gilani was facing allegations because he was in politics. “But he will face the court.”

The prime minister said his government was taking measures to tide over the energy crisis. Jobs for youth, a tax-free budget and relief to the agriculture sector would be ensured. He said the government had constituted an emergency cell and a special cabinet committee to deal with the energy crisis.

About Chaudhry Shujaat’s formula to overcome loadshedding, Mr Gilani said he had agreed to his proposal, adding that energy crisis was not the issue of a single party because the provinces had not been barred from producing electricity.

He said his government had added 3,600MW to the national grid and another 2,500MW projects were in the pipeline. Thar coal, Mangla raising and Diamer-Bhasha dam projects would be completed soon.

He said 100,000 new jobs would be created for the youth. No new taxes would be imposed in the budget.

Fawad Chaudhry, special assistant to the prime minister who accompanied Mr Gilani, told Dawn that the meeting lasted about 40 minutes and the PPP and PML-Q leadership discussed the current political situation and the energy crisis. He said Mr Gilani had called on the Chaudhrys to express his gratitude for their support at this critical juncture.