[Geo News] Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday condemned the flogging of a girl in Swat and ordered an inquiry into the incident. Talking to journalists here, Gilani said Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto were the champions of the rights of women and minorities, adding that the government will bring legislation in the parliament for the rights of women. Oh, yeah. That oughta do it.
About the situation in Swat and tribal areas, the prime minister said the government was following a three-pronged strategy i.e. dialogue, development and deterrence.
So howzat workin' for yez?
He said the military option is not a permanent solution and is used as deterrence only when the writ of the government is challenged.
Like in Swat?
The Prime Minister said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had a mission for the country's development and socio-economic progress of masses, which was also promoted and forwarded by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed through her vision. He termed the Charter of Democracy (CoD), signed between Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and PML (N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif, a blueprint providing the country a way forward for development.
No doubt that's the first thing he and President Ten Percent think about when they get up in the morning.
The Prime Minister said Nizam-e-Adl Regulations were in vogue when Swat was a princely state, adding, in 1994 Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed had also approved these regulations.
Oh. Well. In that case it's okay. Why'd they stop, by the way?
To a question about restoration of government in Punjab and the PPP's participation, the Prime Minister said the party would decide whether to sit in government or in the opposition. The Prime Minister said the government believes in the politics of reconciliation and the PPP and PML (N) were in unison on the view not to destabilize each other's government. He said the focus should be on national issues such as unemployment, poverty and law and order.