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ISLAMABAD, Aug 10 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday presided over yet another consultative meeting of the PPP, the second during the past five weeks.“The meeting was essentially a brain storming session to discuss within the party a host of political issues that have to come to the fore in the light of recent developments”, said Farhatullah Babar spokesperson to the President while briefing the media about the meeting. The last such consultative meeting was held on July 3 in the Presidency which was also attended by the Prime Minister and the Party’s senior leadership from all the provinces, he said. Besides the Prime Minister the Monday’s meeting was attended by Mian Raza Rabbani, Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Dr Babar Awan, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Afzal Sindhu, Farhatullah Babar, Fauzia Wahab, Fauzia Habib, Farahnaz Ispahani, Mehrin Anwar Raja, Pir Mazharul Haq, Sardar Ali Khan, Rahimdad Khan, Ayaz Soomro and Mir Baz Kethran. The President briefed the meeting on the recent dialogue of the PPP delegation with PML-N leadership in Raiwind, his visit to Dushanbe, the China initiative to address economic, developmental and security issues, the FoDP initiative and the power crisis in the country. He also gave a bird eye view of the evolving political situation before inviting every one to speak his and her mind. Addressing the meeting he said that the brain storming meeting was aimed at making a frank, dispassionate and critical review of the overall political situation in the country and invite the participants to give their candid views on various issues of concern. “ The PPP is a dynamic and forward looking Party that possesses the strength to look inwardly”, he said adding, “The greater the inner strength the greater is the ability to confidently address weaknesses with hope and candor”. The Party’s Co Chairman President Asif Ali Zardari reiterated the Party’s commitment to uphold the principles laid down in the Charter of Democracy signed in May 2006 and also to the principles enshrined in the Party’s manifesto. The President said that the setting up of the Parliamentary Committee was a welcome development to purge the Constitution of all anti democracy clauses introduced into it by dictatorial regimes. He asked for a separate briefing later this week on the progress made in this regard. He said the Party should make full use of this opportunity to hammer out reforms in the Constitution with the consensus and support of all other parties, without any delay. The President said that power shortage in the country during summer had resulted in public discontent and asked the Water and Power Minister to ensure that the private power producers fulfilled their contractual obligations to bring all their projects on line before the end of the year. He said that government will not brook any delay in the completion of the rental power projects. Farhatullah Babar said that the President also asked the Petroleum Minister Naveed Qamar to furnish a report on 16 gas fields in Sindh reportedly abandoned by the OGDC as depleted fields. With modern technology the abandoned gas fields can be reactivated to produce more gas to meet the country’s growing needs, he said. He said that during his recent visit to Tajikistan the three countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan had agreed to build rail roads and highways that will give Tajikistan access to the sea through the Pakistani sea ports and enable Pakistan to export its products to the vast Central Asian markets. The over 1300 kilometer long road will pass through the 4550 meters Durah pass from Chitral and follow the Iskatul-Ulkhana-Ishkashim-Khorugh-Kulaikhumb-Kulab-Kofirnigan route to the Tajik capital of Dushanbe. The feasibility of the road project would be ready by November this year, he said. The President said that opening up of road links was critical to bringing the countries of the region closer together and for increasing trade and people to people contacts for the economic and social benefits of all countries. He said that the three countries also agreed to set up the regional electricity networks, the central piece of which was the World Bank aided power transmission line from Tajikistan to Pakistan known as the Central Asia- South Asia CASA-1000. The President said that the China initiative included building over a dozen small dozens in different part of country, development of Thar coal for power generation, hybrid seed technology, dredging of the Tarbela dam and the building of the Kohala dam project. A Chinese firm had already agreed to take a fresh look at the Thar Coal project, he said adding that the project after completion will open new vistas of development and prosperity. He said that during the last one year nearly fifty new initiatives had been undertaken with China and thirty MOUs signed. The President directed that all the development projects being negotiated with China will also invariably include security for the project and its personnel in the feasibility studies. The President also asked the Ministers and Party leaders to go out into the field, meet the people and hold open kutcheries to redress the grievances of the people. He asked Ministers to give immediate response to any public criticism of the working of their ministries and explain to the people the true facts both in the Parliament and through the media. He said the Prime Minister had already issued instructions in this regard and these must be followed in letter and spirit. After the President’s opening remarks the floor was opened and all participants expressed their views on a host of issues of national concern. A large number of participants spoke on the occasion and besides expressing views also made specific recommendations on how to address issues. The meeting expressed confidence in the leadership of Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and the government of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. |
