LAHORE, June 28: Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said he sacrificed his office for the supremacy of the Constitution and parliament.

Talking to reporters at the airport here on Thursday, Mr Gilani said: “I believe in the supremacy of parliament and respect the Constitution. In spite of the court’s verdict against me, parliament, which represents 180 million people of this country, gave a decision in my favour and it is my victory.”

He said the PPP and its allies showed political maturity after he was disqualified by the Supreme Court. “Prime ministers come and go, but I wanted the parliament to complete its term and with the election of the new premier my desire is fulfilled.”

Mr Gilani said that for the first time in the country’s history an outgoing prime minister attended the oath-taking ceremony of his successor. He said he had quit office with dignity and upheld the supremacy of parliament. “I would have quit politics if parliament had disqualified me,” he added.

The former prime minister said he considered himself a political worker and would continue his struggle from the platform of his party. He said since the PPP leadership had rendered sacrifices for the cause of democracy and given the Constitution it could not violate law.