ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Monday acknowledging the positive contribution of literati towards a tolerant society, assured drawing up of a national strategy, based on their suggestions, to cope with internal and external challenges.
Addressing a gathering of intellectuals, writers and poets at the launch of his new initiative — “PM in dialogue with nation” — here at PM Secretariat, Gilani said there was an urgent need to develop and pursue a vision that addresses the needs of changing times.
Under the dialogue, Prime Minister Gilani will hold four interactive sessions with writers, artistes, vice chancellors of universities and media. The suggestions would be incorporated into the address of the prime minister to the nation on Pakistan Day.
The participants urged the national leadership to stand up to the challenges facing the nation and take bold decisions. The writers and intellectuals from all over the country spoke on the necessity of developing a national curriculum that inculcates amongst the young minds a love for the country and a spirit of nationalism.
The national writers spoke on role of media, which they said was now centred on “tickers” and “anchors” and stressed that it needs to take up its responsible role of building a society and creating hope. They also called for formulating a foreign policy based on national aspirations, without accepting any foreign pressures.
Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan desires good ties with all countries without accepting the hegemony of any, on basis of mutual respect and interests. He recalled his meetings with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and President Hamid Karzai and said these led to improvement of bilateral ties.
Gilani said it owed to his interaction with the Indian Prime Minister, that following the recent bombings at Mumbai, there was no repeat of the blame-game of 2008 and the Indian government acted “maturely” and admitted its intelligence failure.
He said Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto presented the 1973 Constitution when fissures were developing amongst the provinces and termed it an honour for his government to restore it to its original shape.
He said had the provincial autonomy been given earlier, Pakistan would still have been united. He said the Pakistan People’s Party would protect the constitution and the country at all costs, whether it was in power or not.
Prime Minister Gilani acknowledged the role of President Asif Ali Zardari for handing over his powers to the parliament in an unprecedented manner and corrected a historical wrong.
Gilani said his government had always accorded respect to the state institutions and restored the judiciary. He dismissed any clash of the institutions and said these were passing through an evolutionary phase, with some teething problems.
Responding to the issue of high prices of everyday items, Prime Minister Gilani spoke of the several challenges the country was facing, including the global recession.
He said Pakistan was paying a high price in the war against extremism and terrorism and spoke of the rehabilitation cost of the 2.9 million Internally Displaced Persons within a short period of 90 days. He said 35,000 people have sacrificed their lives, while a heavy cost was incurred due to infrastructural damages.
Similarly the country again had to undergo a loss of US 10 billion dollars due to the heavy floods of last summers.
Prime Minister Gilani assured the writers that the government, with the help of provincial governments, would take strict action against the hoarders and crackdown against those causing artificial shortage of food items.
He agreed with the intellectuals that the media must watch national interests and create hope. He noted the positive suggestion of creating Literacy Centers across the country, supporting regional languages and literature, encouraging arts, dramas and films, so as to bring more positivity and tolerance in the society.
Prime Minister Gilani shared his concerns with the writers about the situation in Karachi and said the issue should not be politicised and peace be brought to the economic hub.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Gilani said the suggestions could help the government in coping with social problems particularly extremism.
He said the dialogue was meantto seek ways to develop an atmosphere of tranquility in society and promote a sense of accepting each others' views with patience.
He said writers and poets being the builders of social norms could play a positive role.
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