ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday ruled out the division of Punjab into further provinces and said the country could not afford to do so in such times of trouble.
Talking to the press after presiding over the convocation of a women’s college here, the Prime Minister said ‘we cannot afford to have more provinces. It would be like opening up a Pandora’s box.’
The Prime Minister said the country was passing through difficult internal and external challenges and urged the politicians not to invoke such ideas and realise the gravity of situation.
He said the formation of further provinces required constitutional amendments, which do not seem possible as the political parties were not united at the moment. ‘It is the responsibility of the government and everyone to strengthen the federation and not to destabilise it,’ he added.
About his possible meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the upcoming summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, this month, the Prime Minister hoped that the outcome would be ‘positive’.
Gilani said the meeting would be an opportunity to strengthen the relations between the two countries. He added that Pakistan wanted to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbours, including India and Afghanistan.
About the ongoing operation in Malakand division, Gilani said the success achieved in securing the area was a result of enormous sacrifices by the Pakistan army. ‘We did not secure the area for free. It was due to our soldiers who were martyred while fighting bravely,’ he said.
After the completion of the operation, military cantonments would be established and capacity-building work would enhance the abilities of law enforcement agencies, Gilani said.
When asked to confirm reports regarding Fazlullah's injury in an attack, the Prime Minister said this issue was under the purview of the Interior Minister and thus he would not comment on it.
When asked about a possible influx of Taliban into Pakistan territory after US forces' operation in Afghanistan's Helmand province, the Prime Minister said the government would take all possible measures not to let anyone destablise the country. — APP do so in such times of trouble.
The Prime Minister said the country was passing through difficult internal and external challenges and urged the politicians not to invoke such ideas and realise the gravity of situation.
He said the formation of further provinces required constitutional amendments, which do not seem possible as the political parties were not united at the moment. ‘It is the responsibility of the government and everyone to strengthen the federation and not to destabilise it,’ he added.
About his possible meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the upcoming summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, this month, the Prime Minister hoped that the outcome would be ‘positive’.
Gilani said the meeting would be an opportunity to strengthen the relations between the two countries. He added that Pakistan wanted to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbours, including India and Afghanistan.
About the ongoing operation in Malakand division, Gilani said the success achieved in securing the area was a result of enormous sacrifices by the Pakistan army. ‘We did not secure the area for free. It was due to our soldiers who were martyred while fighting bravely,’ he said.
After the completion of the operation, military cantonments would be established and capacity-building work would enhance the abilities of law enforcement agencies, Gilani said.
When asked to confirm reports regarding Fazlullah's injury in an attack, the Prime Minister said this issue was under the purview of the Interior Minister and thus he would not comment on it.
When asked about a possible influx of Taliban into Pakistan territory after US forces' operation in Afghanistan's Helmand province, the Prime Minister said the government would take all possible measures not to let anyone destablise the country. — APP do so in such times of trouble.
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