Parliament to decide Musharraf's impeachment: Gilani

Islamabad, May 30 (UNI) Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said only Parliament and not any individual would decide about the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf, as it required consensus among all the coalition partners.

''The Pakistan Muslim League-N has an opinion on the impeachment of the President, but it is for the coalition partners and Parliament to decide such things,'' The News today quoted him as saying in Islamabad.

He told reporters that the government was pursuing the constitutional and legal course, as the country could not afford confrontation. ''The government would take all steps in accordance with the law and the Constitution,'' he added.

Asked to comment on the demand to vacate the Army House by President Pervez Musharraf, the Prime Minister said, ''It is up to the President to decide in this regard.'' To another question, the Prime Minister said the PPP and the PML-N, the main partners in the coalition government, had their own programmes and manifestos and their coalition was reflective of the unity in diversity.

''They would jointly foil all conspiracies against the coalition,'' he added.

Asked about the delay in the reinstatement of the judges, deposed by President Musharraf in November 2007, he said modalities were being worked out and hoped the issue would be resolved soon.

''I had ordered the release of the judges even before taking oath and the issue of the reinstatement of the judges would also be resolved by the government,'' he declared.

Earlier, addressing the concluding session of the three-day symposium on ''Strengthening Democracy in South Asia,'' Prime Minister Gilani expressed the confidence that the government would overcome all constitutional controversies at the earliest to focus on the real issues.

He admitted there were serious controversies surrounding some key state institutions but at the same time expressed satisfaction that the political process of dialogue and accommodation was continuing.

He said the unhealthy political trends of the past had been buried by the current political leadership. The Prime Minister called for protecting the ideals of respect for the Constitution, the supremacy of parliament, strengthening of national institutions, promoting democratic norms and independence of the judiciary and the media.

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