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No differences with Zardari, says Gilani

* PM says fate of LG system will be decided with consensus of all provinces
* Terms possible cabinet reshuffle ‘routine matter’

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Dispelling the impression that the two had any misunderstandings, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday he and President Asif Ali Zardari still had regular interaction.

“I meet the president regularly and have frequent telephonic conversations with him on all issues,” he told journalists during a surprise visit to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). He also rejected the notion that the two offices lacked mutual understanding, saying he enjoyed a harmonious working relationship with Zardari.

Total consensus: To questions on the status of the local government system, he said the issue would be resolved with consensus of all provinces. He said all four chief ministers had forwarded their recommendations to him and he would discuss the matter with President Zardari. “The president and I cannot violate the terms of Schedule 6 in the constitution, which determines when the term of the local bodies expires,” he added.

Routine: Gilani said the government had no rivalries with the opposition. “We just believe in giving the people an administrative system that facilitates them,” he said. He said the reshuffling of the federal cabinet was a “routine matter”, adding it was still on the cards.

Referring to the transporters’ strike, the premier said the government was trying to resolve the issue amicably. He said violence and agitation were not the solution, adding the peoples’ sufferings would soon be abolished. He said the government was taking concrete measures to resolve the electricity crisis under a comprehensive plan despite having a shortage of resources. The Online news agency quoted him as saying the incumbent government had inherited the energy crisis and only effective planning could resolve it.

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