Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani: A Mandate Against Musharraf

The United States has said that if Pakistan cannot control the border then it will take unilateral actions. And there have been reports of U.S. Predator aircraft striking inside Pakistan without Islamabad ' s consent. Is this happening and, if so, will it continue?
We believe in democracy and the rule of law, and we want respect for the sovereignty of the country. Since I have been the chief executive, these [unilateral attacks] have never happened, and they will never happen again. We are capable ourselves.

Can you work with President Musharraf, whose regime threw you in jail for five years?
My having been in jail has nothing to do with my position today. The Pakistan Peoples Party believes in peace and reconciliation. We don't want to fight for non-issues. I'm not bitter at all.

Will the judges who were removed by Musharraf be restored to the bench, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry?
Let's leave it up to the Parliament to do whatever it wants. But the mood of the people of Pakistan is for the restoration of the judges and the chief justice and for the independence of the judiciary.

Your coalition partner Nawaz Sharif seems to take a much harder line on Musharraf, whom he wants to resign. Can your coalition survive the strain?
When you agree to disagree, that's democracy. Sharif's and ours are two different parties. They have their own manifestoes and programs. But for bare-minimum issues we are together. As far as Musharraf is concerned, the people of this country have given a clear mandate against his policies, against his undemocratic acts.

What role will your party ' s two co-chairmen, Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto ' s widower, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, their son, play in your government?
The party formulates policies. Once the policies are made they are given to the government to execute. As chief executive I'm implementing the policies.

Is it wrong to say that Zardari is giving you orders?
There is no need for giving orders. I'm following my party's manifesto.

© 2008