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| Gilani to quit if wife proved NRO beneficiary |
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Friday, November 20, 2009
Denies Obama’s letter included ‘do more’ phrase
By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
& Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: In what could be described as a clear message to the beneficiaries of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to resign from their posts, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said he would resign if it was proved that his spouse was a beneficiary of the controversial ordinance.
“I will resign if it is proved that either I or my spouse got any relief from the NRO. I spent a jail term to provide jobs but I never liked to get relief through the NRO and faced trial under the law of the land, so how could it be possible that my wife can get relief through this ordinance,” he said in a press talk after the function of ‘Green Journalist Award’ at the Prime Minister Secretariat here Thursday.
The soft-spoken Gilani got emotional and said this was mischievous that his spouse’s name was put on the list. The prime minister was visibly worked up with the news item that appeared in the morning newspapers claiming that wife of the prime minister was among the beneficiaries of the NRO. Explaining the position of his family in strong words and giving the whole background of the allegation, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said he had announced on the floor of the National Assembly that the list of those who got benefit from the notorious ordinance would be placed before it. Accordingly, he called the ministry concerned on almost daily basis to provide the list of the beneficiaries of the law but the National Assembly was prorogued and the list was never produced in the House but the list was published in the newspapers.
The prime minister was not in an agitated mood but he was firm about his position by saying: “The offices are not bigger than the man. I am strengthening the institutions and any office is small before my endeavours.”
He said the government did not table the NRO in Parliament keeping in view the sense of the parliamentarians. “I had asked the Law Ministry to present a list of the NRO beneficiaries before Parliament but they did not do so and they will be asked in this regard,” he said.
However, he said, the Law Ministry presented the list to him Wednesday night in which name of his spouse was also included, and that was a surprise for him as neither his wife nor any of his family members took any relief under the NRO.
Smelling something fishy in preparation of the list, the premier said he had asked for an inquiry in this regard. Political observers are of the view that Prime Minister Gilani has given a message to all those in loud and clear words who got benefit from the infamous law that now stands quashed. He has set example and shown the path in or outside the government that the best way to deal with it is to step aside gracefully.
“Would the president and the federal ministers dare to offer the same?” quizzed a political observer. Later, in an exclusive chat with The News, Prime Minister Gilani made it clear that he would not stay in the office for a minute by compromising his integrity as he belongs to a family where fairness and honesty runs in their blood. “I am sitting in the seat occupied by great leaders of Pakistan movement such as Liaquat Ali Khan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his illustrious daughter Shaheed Benazir Bhutto who gave their blood for upholding the principles. I will be the last person who will bring bad name to the office. We are to strengthen the institutions, not destroy them” he said, adding, “A person who is sitting at the helm of affairs of the country on behalf of the PPP must not have one single stigma on his character. I will protect the both”. He stressed that he was totally committed to his promise of resigning if the so-called allegations of his spouse benefiting from NRO are established. He expressed his surprise that the minister of state for law was now saying that the wife of the prime minister is not among the NRO beneficiaries and NAB is also issuing similar clarification but they must explain that what stopped them from issuing the list and producing it in Parliament when the prime minister of the country had asked them to.
Earlier, replying to a question during the press talk, the prime minister reaffirmed the government’s resolve to completely root out the menace of extremism and terrorism. “Pakistan is not fighting anyone’s but its own war for peace and security,” he added. He said Pakistan is utilising all its resources to fight terrorists and now it is the responsibility of the international community to come forward and help build the capacity of our law enforcement agencies.
Answering a question regarding US President Obama’s letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, in which it was reported to do more in the war on terrorism, the prime minister said it is for America now to do more in overcoming the menace of terrorism. “There is nothing like ‘Do More’ mentioned in the letter,” he added.
He said the government has got a damage need assessment report and is expected to receive about $1.2 billion as assistance for reconstruction of affected areas.
To a question regarding the report of Transparency International, he said the government has great concerns over the matter and a committee has been constituted under the head of the finance minister to look into the issue for its elimination. “The corruption did not surface in one day but it dates back to decades,” he argued.
Answering a question regarding provision of evidence of Indian involvement in Balochistan and terror activities, the prime minister said these evidences would be provided at an appropriate time whenever needed.
Regarding Aghaze Haqooqe Balochistan package, he said this plan has been prepared after taking all political parties present in Parliament into confidence, and it will be presented in the joint sitting of Parliament. He said the government intends to give legal cover to this package and the members of the smaller provinces will have equal opportunity in the joint sitting to give their suggestions and provide legal cover to it.
The prime minister said, however, leaders of the political parties who have links with the Baloch leaders sitting outside Parliament have been asked to get their inputs on the package to make it more viable.
The sources said that an internal probe is now underway to seek clue about inclusion of the name of prime minister’s wife in the so-called list when she never asked for taking advantage from the NRO.
A federal minister who accompanied the president in his sojourn to Kabul would be under tremendous pressure to offer resignation in the wake of announcement made by the prime minister.
APP adds: Prime Minister Gilani said his wife was a director in a company during the period of Junejo government in 1985, adding, but owing to the government’s policies the project became sick and the company defaulted.
When Musharraf took power (in 1999), the chief executive of that company was arrested and remained in jail for eight years before the matter was closed. Gilani further said that he contested the general elections in 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997 and then in 2008 and was cleared as a candidate by the returning officers.
He said when he was in jail his brother contested the election in 2002 and was also cleared as a candidate. Gilani said when he was behind the bars his wife used to visit him and also met General Maqbool, the then NAB chairman, and other NAB officers to pursue his case.
“My wife along with my lawyers Aitzaz Ahsan and Khawja Haris was fighting my case,” he said and added that if there was any problem how could they spare his wife when she used to visit jail and NAB offices and he too would have been jailed on the charges of financial corruption instead of any other matter.
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Three killed as Sh Rashid escapes attempt on life
By Shakeel Anjum
RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and a candidate for NA-55 (Rawalpindi) by-election Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was wounded, while three people — a guard and two party workers — were killed when four gunmen more |
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12 soldiers killed in South Waziristan
ISLAMABAD: Twelve soldiers embraced martyrdom while two others were injured in a clash with militants during the ongoing operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), the ISPR said on Monday.
S more |
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Plan to attack five-star hotel foiled
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The CIA police here on Monday claimed to have foiled an attack on Americans staying at a five-star hotel and arrested six terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
Addressing a press conference, SS more |
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Govt taking court for a ride
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: She fought her case in the media. She won her battle in the judicial forum too. But still the government is bent on making an example out of her for refusing to follow the illegal dictates of her min more |
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Pakistan against arms race: Gilani
By Azeem Samar
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan does not want to be engaged in an arms race with any country.
Speaking as chief guest at the induction ceremony of second Chinese-m more |
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Punjab-Sindh water row Centre’s intervention sought
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Tension between Punjab and Sindh over opening of the Chashma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Punjnad link canals has touched a new high as the former has sought the Centre’s intervention.
The Punjab has sai more |
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French, Dutch fight over giving LNG to Pakistan
By Khalid Mustafa
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and his team is all set to thwart the attempt of an unscrupulous combine of oil industry heavyweights and some functionaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Re more |
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Nine killed as no let-up in rains
By Nisar Mahmood
PESHAWAR: Nine people were killed and scores of others injured as heavy rains and snowfall lashed various parts of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.
Reports from the Shangla district more |
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Malik orders NUML closure as protest enters 5ht day
ISLAMABAD: The protest of the students of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) against thrashing of Professor Malik Tahir by Registrar Brigadier (R) Obaidullah Ranjha entered its fifth consecutive more |
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Malik insists no Blackwater in Pakistan
By Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik while responding to an accusation from a PML-N parliamentarian told the National Assembly that Blackwater was not providing security to the president and the prime mini more |
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FBR gets list of properties rented out to foreigners
By Hanif Khalid
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received list of properties from Foreign Office, which were in use of foreigners in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, but these were not shown in annual tax more |
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Repealing of 17th Amendment
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has begun efforts to create consensus on repealing the 17th Amendment before presidential address to the joint sitting of the parliament.
The prime minis more |
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Three suspects held in Mohmand
By our correspondent
GHALLANAI: The security forces arrested three suspected persons during search operation in Safi subdivision of Mohmand Agency, official sources said Monday. The sources said the security forces carried out sear more |
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No presence of Blackwater, DynCorp in Pakistan, NA body told
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Interior Qamar Zaman again negated on Monday the presence of Blackwater, DynCorp or any other foreign security agency in the country. “Neither the Blackwater and the DynCorp nor any other s more |
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Govt urged to take up water issue with India
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat while urging the government to take up the issue of ‘water terrorism’ with New Delhi, has question more |
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Avalanche kills 17 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir
HELD SRINAGAR: Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed on Monday in an avalanche that slammed into a group of 70 combat troops at a high-altitude warfare training camp in Kashmir, the army said on Monday.
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Taliban defiant as Afghans flee ahead of assault
KANDAHAR: The Nato commanders urged the Taliban to surrender as troops dug in on Monday for a major assault on their key stronghold in southern Afghanistan, sending thousands of residents fleeing.
The Ta more |
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Plea to freeze foreign accounts
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the federal government to submit a reply within four weeks on a petition seeking freezing of accounts in foreign banks and recovery of illegal assets accumu more |
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Attack on Sh Rashid
RAWALPINDI: The PML-N candidate for by-polls from NA-55, Malik Shakil Awan, has announced suspension of electioneering for a day to mourn the death of those killed in the attack on the office of his rival, Shei more |
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Indian forces to halt Kashmir rally outside UN office
HELD SRINAGAR: The held Kashmir authorities deployed thousands of police and troops on Monday to prevent a protest outside the UN office here over the recent killing of two teenage boys by Indian security force more |
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briefs...
20 die in Afghan floods, avalanches
KANDAHAR: Twenty people have died in floods and avalanches triggered by some of the heaviest rain and snow in Afghanistan for 50 years, an official said on Monday. At more |
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ISSN 1563-9479 
