By APP,
Quetta : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday that election of Asif Ali Zardari as President was imperative for establishing harmony between the center and federating units and for political stability. He said the leadership of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had always upheld the federation and the Constitution during crises and challenges in the past.
Addressing the members of Balochistan Assembly, MNAs and Senators here at the CM secretariat, the PM said that PPP was the only party which has roots in all four provinces, Northern Areas and AJK.
He urged the public representatives to vote for Zardari in the presidential election if they wanted to uphold the federation and the 1973 Constitution.
He reiterated that the President and the PM should be from the same party to ensure political stability.
He said that in order to check consipiracies, the president and the PM should be from the same party.
The Prime Minister said people of Balochistan had rendered sacrifices for establishment of Pakistan and they have great contribution in the development and prosperity of the country.
The PM said though he belonged to Punjab but would always work for the cause of small provinces.
Prime Minister Gilani said that the frustration among the small the small federating units increased in 1971, following which Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto ended unicameral system and introduced bicameral system in the Consitituion which was aimed at strengthening the federating units.
He said that all the provinces were given equal representations in the Upper House and any amendment in the Constitution needed two third majority from both Houses as the smaller provinces also enjoyed equal representations in the Senate. No government can amend the Constitution without two-third majority in both the houses, he added.
The Constitution 1973 had guaranteed equal rights to all provinces and Balochistan MPA’s one vote was equal to six votes of Punjab MPAs in the presidential election, he said.
He said that founder of PPP Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had introduced “one man one vote” system in the country. “We are with smaller provinces and standing by them”, he added.
He said that “we were in jails for years and did not bow to any dictator only for upholding the Constitution.”
He said that PPP was not against Pervez Musharraf, but against the system for which Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto rendered sacrifices. “We oppose the system which forced Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to live in exile and PPP wanted to change that system.”
The PM said “we wanted to impeach the former president. In this regard all four the provinces developed consensus and stood united against the dictator by moving resolutions in their respective assemblies which subsequently led to resignation of the former president.”
He said that it was the vision of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto that the people were source of power and there should be rule of the will of people.
“Nawaz Sharif wanted to boycott the elections and former PPP chairperson convinced him to take part in the elections. Again, Nawaz Sharif decided to boycott the elections after the assassination of the party chairperson, but PPP leaders again convinced him to participate in the elections when he came for offering condolence in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh,” he said.
The PM said the people had given mandate to the democratic, moderate and people-friendly forces in Feb 18 Elections which closed the chapter of dictatorship.
He said that the country was facing various challenges after the Feb 18 Elections and a single party was unable to overcome that situation due to which a coalition government was formed.
He said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was aware of the threats to her life but even then she returned to the country for strengthening democracy.
He said that assassins of Benazir were against the democracy and the people but after her assassination, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari came forward on the call of the party’s central executive committee.
He said that the PPP leaders raised voice on all national and international forums for doffing off the uniform (of the former president) and demanded to hold fair, free and transparent elections, and finally they succeeded in gaining these objectives.
The PM said that PPP leaders chose him for the slot of PM as it was the party of federation.
He said that he secured a unanimous vote of confidence from the National Assembly first time in the history of Pakistan and the governments were formed in the provinces amicably and their speakers were elected without any problem.
He said that it was necessary to vote for Asif Ali Zardari in the presidential election for strengthening democracy and upholding the Constitution and federation in the country.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah also arrived here as part of the election campaign and held a meeting with Balochistan MPAs, MNAs and Senators along with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at the CM secretariat.