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| India-Pakistan |
| Govt can 'revisit' Swat surrender if peace not restored |
| 2009-04-23 |
| The Nizam-e-Adl Regulation is linked to peace in Swat and can be revisited if peace is not restored, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday. "The regulation is bracketed with peace in Swat. If the peace is not restored in Swat, it can be revisited," he told reporters after a visit to the Ministry of Housing and Works. "The president signed the regulation after the approval of parliament." He said he believed that the situation was improving and the agreement was succeeding. "But if peace is not restored we can think otherwise. That option is always available." The prime minister said that militancy had spread as a result of a vacuum created after the end of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. "No single party can handle this situation alone. It is the collective duty of parliament and political parties to deal with this menace," he said. Responding to a question about Sufi Muhammad's remarks terming the parliament and judiciary of the country un-Islamic, the prime minister said that it was only the opinion of an individual. "The people should not worry as long as their elected representatives are in parliament," he added. Gilani said that a national policy would be framed on the basis of the recommendations given by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and all the provincial chief ministers would be taken into confidence on this policy. "This will be an indigenous policy and will be formed keeping the national interests supreme. It will reflect the wishes of the people," he said. He said no action had ever been taken against dictators who imposed martial law in the country or overruled the constitution. Gilani said his government was cognisant of the situation in Balochistan and was doing all it could to end a sense of deprivation among the Baloch. "We need to empower the people of Balochistan. We will provide them rights and full share in development," he said. Regarding the murder of three Baloch leaders, the prime minister said the government was awaiting report of the judicial commission. Gilani said his government was working on a plan to provide countrywide low-cost housing for the poor and the federal government employees. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Gentlemen that they are, I'm sure the Talibunnies will offer the gov't a mulligan after this whole affair reaches its obvious and unfortunate conclusion. Assuming there is anyone left in Islamabad to ask for the do-over, of course. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2009-04-23 16:43 |
| #1 Hey good luck with that. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2009-04-23 08:52 |