SC verdict a ‘good omen’: Gilani, Zardari

August 18th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is not interested in dragging former President General Pervez Musharraf to the court of law, but rather favours reconciliation with the former general. Zardari said the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) favours reconciliation with Musharraf, and that the fate of the ex-Army chief would be decided by the parliament.

August 2nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the final decision regarding the fate of former President General Pervez Musharraf would be taken by Parliament. Commenting on the Supreme Court's verdict that declared Musharraf's November 3, 2007 actions as 'extra-judicial and unconstitutional', Gilani said Parliament is the appropriate forum to take decisions of national interest.

July 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has dismissed reports of any misunderstandings with President Asif Ali Zardari, saying that he regularly interacts with Zardari. "I meet the president regularly and have frequent telephonic conversations with him on all issues," the Daily Times quoted Gilani, as saying.

July 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik could be on the way out with the name of Raza Rabbani, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) that heads the ruling coalition, doing the rounds as his successor. Rabbani would be given ministry of interior in a cabinet reshuffle that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is expected to undertake in the next few days while Information Minister Qamar-uz-Zaman would retain his ministry over his brilliant performance, Online news agency reported Wednesday, quoting sources.

July 2nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the military offensive against the Taliban would continue until all the extremists are rooted out from the country. "The fight against militancy and terrorism will end with the complete elimination of militants," Zardari said during a meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani here.

May 21st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has reiterated his pledge to defeat the Taliban, saying victory against the extremists is the only option available in the in Swat and Malakand regions of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). "Defeat is no option.

April 2nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - With the Supreme Court judges sacked in 2007 reinstated, Shahbaz Sharif back as Punjab chief minister and a key opposition party being invited to rejoin the government, a face-off is brewing between Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari. In all this, Gilani has come out smelling like roses while Zardari finds his already frayed reputation in further tatters.

March 30th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has formally lifted Governor's Rule in Punjab by signing a summary on the advice of Prime Minister Yousuf Raja Gilani. After a late night meeting with Gilani, Zardari signed the summary to lift governor's rule, The Dawn reports.

March 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is keen to ensure a smooth passage of his address to the joint sitting of parliament, scheduled for the first week of April to set off new parliamentary year. Zardari told Prime Minister Gilani to make sure that there is no protest or walkout when he addresses the joint sitting, The Nation reports.

March 16th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Monday called off the 'Long March' of opposition politicians and lawyers after incumbent Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced that deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry would be reinstated on March 21 after present Chief Justice Dogar retires. In an address to the nation, Gilani declared that President Zardari had agreed to most of Nawaz Sharif's demands.

March 13th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani is trying very hard to save his chair and to put an end to the ongoing political turmoil in the country to stem another bout of military rule. Gilani, reportedly, is working on a reconciliation strategy with the PML-N that would include overturning the verdict of the Sharif brother's disqualification from contesting elections and reinstating Shabaz Sharif as chief minister of Punjab.

March 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is making all efforts to put -off the political fire that has engulfed the whole country currently. Gilani said he would meet President Asif Ali Zardari, to chalk out a strategy to put an end to the crisis.

March 4th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Tuesday strongly condemned the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore and ordered an immediate enquiry. Zardari asked the authorities concerned to immediately investigate the incident so that the perpetrators are identified and their motives exposed.

February 16th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least six people were killed and 13 others injured Tuesday in a bomb blast in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar, a TV report said. The bomb was placed in a vehicle outside the house of a local official, the report said.

February 3rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in two corruption cases going back to the 1990s, saying the evidence against him was insufficient. In its verdict, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Aslam said the allegations against Gilani had been proven wrong and that the evidence presented in court was also weak.