LAHORE, May 22 The prime minister took an initiative on Saturday to allay fears of a showdown between the judiciary and the executive by vetoing a 'show of force' planned by some federal ministers during the hearing next week on the National Reconciliation Ordinance and by reassuring the chief justice that the government would respect any verdict delivered by the Supreme Court.

Talking to the media after inaugurating the Expo Centre here, Yousuf Raza Gilani said he had told the People's Lawyers Forum to drop its plans to assemble outside the court during the hearings.

“Only a few lawyers and ministers will go with the law minister to the Supreme Court and explain the government's point of view. Any clash between institutions will not benefit anyone,” the premier said.

“The current tension between the government and the judiciary is a part of democracy's evolution. The parliament and judiciary are trying to find their feet in a new set-up and define their roles. All other institutions are evolving and they know it. Only the media sometimes get aggressive.”

In reply to a question about the reopening of Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, Mr Gilani said writing a letter to any government was not a problem.

Different options were being looked into about writing to the Swiss government, but “law and constitution” would determine the 'final action', Mr Gilani added.

About his telephonic conversation with Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, he said “I rang up the chief justice and assured him that the government has all the respect for the judiciary.”

When his attention was drawn to an earlier statement that the Supreme Court should summon former president Pervez Musharraf as he was 'architect' of the NRO, the prime minister asked rhetorically “Was the murder of Akbar Bugti not enough?”

In reply to a question about the PPP's relationship with other parties, Mr Gilani said “we are working for reconciliation with all parties”, adding PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif was a partner in this endeavour.