Gilani blames Musharraf for illegally stripping provinces of powers

Islamabad, July 11 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has blamed the former President General Pervez Musharraf of violating the norms of the Constitution by grabbing the autonomy enjoyed by the provinces.

"The previous government 'illegally and unconstitutionally' put the local governments in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution," The News quoted Gilani, as saying.

Gilani said the misdeeds of Musharraf have been corrected, and the government has given the provinces their subject back.

"It is now up to the provincial governments to appoint administrators or hold local government elections and the Federation has nothing to do with it as it is a provincial subject," Gilani told media persons on the sidelines of a stone laying ceremony here.

When enquired about the agenda of the scheduled meeting with his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the NAM Summit at Sharam-el-Sheikh in Egypt, Gilani said he had not yet decided about the agenda of the meeting.

Commenting on the Swat offensive, he said the government's decision to initiate a military offensive in the Swat Valley was opposed by several quarters, but the operation was necessary for the country's sake.

"The country is passing through the most difficult period, so the elected government had to take some unpopular decisions for the sake of stability of the country," said Gilani. (ANI)