Political minds have attained maturity, says Zardari
Speaking to participants of the 94th National Management Course at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president said Pakistan faces many challenges but “Allah Almighty has blessed us with the potential and ability to tackle them as we have a vibrant society to face these challenges.” “We have the political will to face these challenges and overcame terrorism in Swat and Malakand by implementing this will,” he said and expressed the confidence that government would also succeed in overcoming the economic
challenges.
The president said democracy is the only way for taking the country forward in the right direction and today the political minds have attained maturity. He said democracy is passing through an evolutionary process and the time is not far off when Pakistan will become a strong democracy.
He also highlighted the achievements of the government saying these were attained by following the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
He said, “We are pursuing the policy of reconciliation and by the grace of Allah Almighty have been successful in tackling a number of issues.”
Answering a question, the president said there is no clash of institutions in Pakistan. There is a friendly atmosphere in which every institution is working smoothly.
He disagreed with the term ‘judicial activism’ and said this situation has actually strengthened democracy. He said democracy is under evolutionary process and “we are passing through it”.
President Asif Ali Zardari said, “We have increased the salaries of judges manifold to attract bright minds towards the judiciary”.
To a question about challenging dictatorship in the future, the president said, “We need to strengthen democracy”. He said the political forces would have to work with full ownership to strengthen democracy. He said we believe in letting others live and that will help stop the dictatorship.
To a question regarding eradicating provincialism, President Asif Ali Zardari said democracy provides the way for bringing closer all the political forces and emerging political consensus on all issues. “You cannot stop anything by force. Democracy can ensure containment of provincialism.”
He said, “We all have to work and remove the sense of deprivation and the government has already initiated a process in this regard by launching the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan programme”.
About extending the Political Parties Act to Fata, the president said all the political parties want to bring the tribal areas under the national political system and added “we now need a right time for doing so”. He said the PPP has initiated this process in Fata by awarding tickets to candidates of the area.
To a question about the demand for setting up new provinces, the president said based on his experience, he had opposed this but the wishes of the people cannot be ignored. He said, “We are bound to accept the opinion of the people as we have done in the case of renaming NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”.
He said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has support from all parts of the country. It has determination to protect the rights of all the provinces. However, it never claimed to always win the elections and believes in collective wisdom to resolve issues.
The president urged the participants that as public servants belonging to different groups they have an important role to play in formulation and implementation of public policies.
He asked them to seek new avenues in formation of public policies. “I believe that public-private partnership is the best example of economic development. As civil servants responsible for implementing policies it is your responsibility to implement the decisions with sincerity and speed,” the president said.
Quoting sayings of Quaid-i-Azam in his address to gazetted officers of Chittagong on 25th March, 1948, the president said these are as true and relevant today as they were then.
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