Gilgit, September 30: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday stressed the need to shun sectarianism in the country and said that the political maturity could help calm the divisions between the cross section of people.
I was talking to a delegation of members of the Pakistan Peoples Party, referring to the recent clashes in Gilgit that claimed lives.
Gilani said that sectarianism is not deployed at any cost and urged party members to play their role in the evolution of the peaceful situation in the region through political maturity.
“We should rise above caste, sect, belief, and just follow the objectives of democracy,” he said, adding, democracy is a guarantee of the freedom to practice any religion or sect.
Gilani also said that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto always tickets issued from members, regardless of sectarian basis.
He followed a similar pattern, while issuing tickets to members of the PPP for the upcoming election in Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said that the strength and cohesion in the party could help manage the differences and asked the members to address their problems in the forum of the parties.
The Prime Minister of the parliamentary party body chaired by the Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, after his return home, decide on the issue of tickets to candidates of the PPP.
“We want the people of Gilgit-Baltistan to assume responsibility in managing the affairs of their area and decide on their own for their uprising,” he said.
Gilani, called on party members to work to make strong PPP ultimately strengthen the government.
“My priority is party discipline, that can work with the leadership and consensus,” he added.
He emphasized the need for training of party members and rejected the idea of conducting training under the external influence that could be misused in achieving foreign policy agenda.
He referred to a model in Germany, where training funds are allocated to political parties in proportion to their seats in parliament.
“We are studying the possibility of adopting the same method of budget allocation for training of all parties if PPP or PML (N)” he said.
The Prime Minister said that direct party leaders to visit Gilgit-Baltistan and speaking to party members to enable them on various matters.
“We have the new system of autonomy and now it is your responsibility to be a success for its own benefit,” he said.
The delegation informed the Prime Minister on various issues concerning part in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Acting Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira was also present.
–Agencies