ISLAMABAD, March 25: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani took oath of office here on Tuesday at a ceremony characterised more by seriousness than any joy usually witnessed at such events.

Most political bigwigs, including heads of the coalition parties which elected Mr Gilani to the top executive office, stayed away, apparently owing to the grudge they hold against President Pervez Musharraf who administered the oath. But the absence of leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Q, known as the ‘King’s party’ because of its hitherto unqualified loyalty to the president, was quite intriguing.

Prime Minister Gilani tried to infuse some life into the dull deliberations by declaring immediately after taking the oath that if all the institutions of the state followed the Constitution there would be no clash among them.

“We will have to strengthen parliament and ensure its supremacy (and) parliament comprises the president, the National Assembly and the Senate,” he told journalists.

The prime minister said that “if the army, parliament, the judiciary, the bureaucracy and the media play their defined roles the country will come out of the difficulties it is facing today”.

Answering a question, he said he would announce the programme for his government’s first 100 days on the floor of the National Assembly after taking a vote of confidence from the house. “We will live for Pakistan and die for it,” he said.

Mr Gilani said the nation had given a split mandate and, therefore, all political forces would have to unite on one platform to take the country forward and cope with the challenges.

“We will have to take the country out of all crises and for this purpose my government will need the support of all.” He said he had learnt during his parliamentary career that the institutions of the country should be strengthened.

In reply to a question, Mr Gilani said his government would look forward to getting cooperation from everyone, including the president. He said the country was passing through a sensitive phase and everyone’s support was needed to overcome the challenges.

He said he would take along all the allied parties and would evolve a unanimous strategy.

The prime minister said the nation had pinned high hopes on the new government. If the government was not able to deliver it would disappoint the nation. He said he would claim success only after coming up to the nation’s expectation.

Mr Gilani appealed to all political parties and the president to cooperate for steering the country out of the crisis it was facing. He thanked the nation for the trust it had reposed in the political parties.

The prime minister said he was grateful to the nation and proud of his country and its people.

President Musharraf described the oath-taking of Prime Minister Gilani as a “historic day” and said the country had entered the final phase of transition to civilian rule which would be soon completed with the formation of provincial governments.

He said fair, free, transparent and peaceful elections had been held. He congratulated Mr Gilani on his election as prime minister with a huge majority. He expressed the hope that the prime minister would work for the socio-economic uplift of the people and said Mr Gilani would always have his support in this regard.

Replying to a question, the president said he would like to contribute to the process of unifying all political forces for the good of the country.

He said there were many challenges facing the country, including the fight against terrorism and economic issues.

The president underlined the need for a balanced approach by the new government to overcome the challenges and said the prime minister would have a central role in this regard.

The politicians who did not attend the ceremony despite having been formally invited included PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, and PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Hamid Nasir Chattha.

Among the politicians who attended the ceremony were Pakistan People’s Party’s secretary-general Jehangir Badar, PPP finance secretary Babar Awan, Rehman Malik and Farooq Naek, MQM’s parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar, MNA Khushbakht Shujaat, Karachi nazim Mustafa Kamal and MNA Manzoor Wattoo.

National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, outgoing caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro, governors of the four provinces, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Tariq Majid, Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M. Tahir and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanveer Mahmood also attended the ceremony.