US apology would not bring soldiers back to life: PM
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the US does want to apologise for its attack on the Salala check post but that would not bring martyred soldiers back to life.
He stressed that some leaders are of the opinion that an apology would make a difference but the government has made it clear to US that new mechanisms will have to be evolved in order to restore hampered bilateral ties.
Talking to Daily Express in an exclusive interview at the PM House in Islamabad, he highlighted that world leaders had asked him to send a Pakistani delegate to the Bonn Conference. However, he deemed it inappropriate in national interest to do so.
He said that he had to go through many difficult times during his four-year tenure as prime minister but never once he thought of turning a blind eye to the party interests.
He also revealed, during the course of the interview, that an important person came to the PM house in order to have a letter written to be sent to Swiss authorities. However, the premier made it clear that he would not allow that even if it led to his losing the PM office.
He reiterated again that President Asif Ali Zardari could not be held responsible for the Memogate scandal.
On Qureshi
He made it clear that he had told Chaudhry Nisar that Shah Mehmood Qureshi will not join Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) because the architects of Musharraf’s party are working for people to join Tehreek-i-Insaf.
He added that he did not want to change Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s ministry but the president was not happy with him.
During the portfolio reshuffle, he had told Qureshi that he will be given the ministry of Water and Power and if time permitted later on, he will be returned his foreign ministry.
Gilani added that Qureshi had asked for seven seats for his family. These included Rahimyar Khan as well as Jalalpur Pirwala seat.
“I prefer party interests over personal aspirations,” Gilani concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2011.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the US does want to apologise for its attack on the Salala check post but that would not bring martyred soldiers back to life.
He stressed that some leaders are of the opinion that an apology would make a difference but the government has made it clear to US that new mechanisms will have to be evolved in order to restore hampered bilateral ties.
Talking to Daily Express in an exclusive interview at the PM House in Islamabad, he highlighted that world leaders had asked him to send a Pakistani delegate to the Bonn Conference. However, he deemed it inappropriate in national interest to do so.
He said that he had to go through many difficult times during his four-year tenure as prime minister but never once he thought of turning a blind eye to the party interests.
He also revealed, during the course of the interview, that an important person came to the PM house in order to have a letter written to be sent to Swiss authorities. However, the premier made it clear that he would not allow that even if it led to his losing the PM office.
He reiterated again that President Asif Ali Zardari could not be held responsible for the Memogate scandal.
On Qureshi
He made it clear that he had told Chaudhry Nisar that Shah Mehmood Qureshi will not join Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) because the architects of Musharraf’s party are working for people to join Tehreek-i-Insaf.
He added that he did not want to change Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s ministry but the president was not happy with him.
During the portfolio reshuffle, he had told Qureshi that he will be given the ministry of Water and Power and if time permitted later on, he will be returned his foreign ministry.
Gilani added that Qureshi had asked for seven seats for his family. These included Rahimyar Khan as well as Jalalpur Pirwala seat.
“I prefer party interests over personal aspirations,” Gilani concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2011.
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