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Summary Prime minister says Pakistan wants new terms of engagement with the United States.
Addressing a news conference in Lahore on Sunday, prime minister said Pakistan wants new terms of engagement with the US and NATO will be evolved in the light of national interests and recommendations of the Parliament.He said following the Salala check post incident‚ the government blocked the NATO supplies in accordance with the aspirations of the people. He said the decision on the restoration of NATO supplies will be taken after taking on board all the stakeholders.Referring to Arsalan graft case, he said CJP cannot hear his sons case but should hear Musa Gilanis case.PM Gilani said there is no room for marshal law in the country now, adding thatPPP had played the main role in restoration of constitution and judiciary. It respects the judiciary and is facing a number of cases against itself.He said the political parties‚ which are giving lectures on democracy‚ should focus their attention to hold the local bodies elections. He said the local bodies elections should be held on party basis. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government wants to hold local bodies elections on party basis as they have roots in the people.When asked about the general elections‚ he said these will be held after the completion of the mandated five year term of the present government.To a question the Prime Minister said that PPP-led government is taking various measure to solve the power shortage in the country. He said since coming into power‚ the present government has added three thousand five hundred mega watts of electricity to the national grid.Prime Minister Gilani said talks are underway with Iran for a one thousand mega watts power project. He said that PPP led government is also working on solar and hydel power projects. He said that two nuclear power plants have been made functional while two are in the pipeline.He said the Punjab government has failed to add even a single megawatt of electricity‚ and now allocated funds for power generation in the next years provincial budget first time.To a question regarding Pakistans relations with the neighbour countries‚ he said Pakistan has cordial and friendly relations with India‚ China‚ Iran and Russia. Similarly‚ it enjoys very cordial relations with the Central Asian Republics and has strengthened them further.He said that the trade relations with China are on the new height‚ while Pakistan has opened a new chapter with Russia in this regard as well.The Prime Minister particularly referred Pakistans trade relations with India and said that these will benefit Pakistans economy more. He said that the Transit Trade Agreement signed with Afghanistan will also benefit Pakistan and we are considering it to expand it beyond Afghanistan.
