Gilani says he is against resignations

MULTAN: Former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani does not rule out resignations of Pakistan Peoples Party legislators from assemblies, saying though the party has serious reservations about the census bill, it is not against it.

He was talking to the media on Wednesday at Qila Kuhna Qasim Bagh where a PPP public meeting is scheduled for December 15. “I am personally not in favour of resigning from the assemblies because I wish the system should continue. However, I will obey the party decision in this regard”, Gillani said.

He said the 2013 general elections were the elections of returning officers (ROs) and it cannot determine the political party’s popularity. He said that Pakistan People’s Party co-chairperson Asif Zardari had declared those elections as rigged through ROs.

Responding to another query on Senate stand of on census bill, he said, “The PPP has serious reservations about the census bill. If Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz removes our reservations then our party will fully endorse the bill.” Gillani said earlier the Pakistan People’s Party had fixed Multan public meeting in March last but it was postponed due to country’s law and order situation and wave of terrorism. He said PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had held a public meeting at Qila Qasim Bagh and now his grandson was going to address a public meeting there after 42 years. He said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would announce the party manifesto at the rally. “The Islamabad public meeting has declared that Pakistan People’s Party still exists in all provinces and it is the party that believes in Federation.

He said that he had conducted a series of workers’ conventions in all the constituencies of Punjab Assembly, besides holding traders, lawyers, labourers, and farmers’ convention to mobilise the party at the grassroots level. “The Qasim Bagh public meeting is a great challenge for him which will establish PPP’s popularity among the masses. I am expecting due media coverage for Pakistan People’s Party’s meeting. Security arrangements for the public meeting are up to the mark,” he informed.