Prime Minister says took President, COAS on board on US aid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Prime Minister has asserted that he had taken President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani into confidence on Kerry-Lugar bill.

Addressing the National Assembly that began Wednesday debate on multibillion dollar US aid package planned for the country, the PM said that Pakistan is not bound to meet the conditions maintained in the bill to qualify for US aid.

The PM said that Pakistan Army is supporting the democracy, adding that the military regime has assured him that it would not derail the democracy in the country. “The Pakistan Army is performing its duties under the supervision of civilian government and all its decisions had been taken by the government and it will continue doing so in future as well.”

The PM maintained that government would not allow anyone to visit Pakistan’s nuclear sites.
Gilani said his government would try to get a consensus by addressing the concerns of the Parliament and Army on Kerry-Lugar bill.

He said that he has called in the Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, presently visiting US, to brief the parliamentarians on US aid package.