ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has stressed the need for a collective parliamentary decision to address the Balochistan issue, saying a constitutional cure for the provinces problems will be more effective.
In an interview with the APP here on Tuesday, he said parliament should collectively take a decision rather than a presidential order which would probably give temporary relief on the provinces issues. He expressed the hope that a draft in this regard would be tabled in parliament after Eid. In reply to a question, he said the late Benazir Bhuttos doctrine on Balochistan would be followed.
He said the ruling party had apologised for the wrongdoings faced by Balochistan during Gen (retd) Pervez Musharrafs rule.
The president said other provinces should understand the problems of Balochistan and join hands to find a solution. A joint sitting of parliament should be held to resolve the issue, Mr Zardari added.
The president called himself a pillar of parliament and said he and the government were working effectively.
The governments efforts had brought the friends of Pakistan together to start a new thought process for the development of the country, the president observed.
Mr Zardari said he would jointly chair a summit at the Untied Nations this month with US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, which would serve as a political vehicle to address the challenges faced by Pakistan and problems of the region.
It is the collective responsibility of the world. This is our achievement that we have managed to bring people on the same table, where people from 180 nations will sit and think in the interest of the region, he said.
Gilgit-Baltistan
President Zardari said the Gilgit-Baltistan package was in accordance with the wishes of the people of the region.
He dismissed as unfounded fears that the package was an attempt to de-link the region from the Kashmir issue because the ground realities were different. By and large it has been taken well by the people. It was a long-standing demand and the people there faced many problems.
To acknowledge and give them their due status is a realisation of what was enshrined in Benazir Bhutto Shaheeds doctrine for the people, Mr Zardari said.
He said former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the first leader who visited the area and the current government had taken forward his vision.
In an interview with the APP here on Tuesday, he said parliament should collectively take a decision rather than a presidential order which would probably give temporary relief on the provinces issues. He expressed the hope that a draft in this regard would be tabled in parliament after Eid. In reply to a question, he said the late Benazir Bhuttos doctrine on Balochistan would be followed.
He said the ruling party had apologised for the wrongdoings faced by Balochistan during Gen (retd) Pervez Musharrafs rule.
The president said other provinces should understand the problems of Balochistan and join hands to find a solution. A joint sitting of parliament should be held to resolve the issue, Mr Zardari added.
The president called himself a pillar of parliament and said he and the government were working effectively.
The governments efforts had brought the friends of Pakistan together to start a new thought process for the development of the country, the president observed.
Mr Zardari said he would jointly chair a summit at the Untied Nations this month with US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, which would serve as a political vehicle to address the challenges faced by Pakistan and problems of the region.
It is the collective responsibility of the world. This is our achievement that we have managed to bring people on the same table, where people from 180 nations will sit and think in the interest of the region, he said.
Gilgit-Baltistan
President Zardari said the Gilgit-Baltistan package was in accordance with the wishes of the people of the region.
He dismissed as unfounded fears that the package was an attempt to de-link the region from the Kashmir issue because the ground realities were different. By and large it has been taken well by the people. It was a long-standing demand and the people there faced many problems.
To acknowledge and give them their due status is a realisation of what was enshrined in Benazir Bhutto Shaheeds doctrine for the people, Mr Zardari said.
He said former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the first leader who visited the area and the current government had taken forward his vision.
