Pakistani PM Says No Need to Take Confidence Vote

ISLAMABAD (NNN-Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Friday declared that he would not take vote of confidence from the parliament amidst the government's mounting tension with the powerful army and the top judiciary.

Gilani's statement came just three days after the country's Supreme Court warned action could be taken against him for failing to act on an apex court order to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The confrontation between the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party ( PPP), and the judiciary comes at a time when the Supreme Court is pressuring the government over an alleged memo that had sought U.S. help to stop a possible military coup after the killing of Osama bin Ladenin in Pakistan last year.

Despite the government's objections, the court formed a judicial commission to investigate the memogate scandal. The opposition leader Nawaz Sharif has asked the Prime Minister to resign and hold fresh election.

Gilani, speaking in the National Assembly or Lower House of the parliament, rejected the call for his resignation. He said the opposition can table a constitutional amendment in the house to reduce the period of either the Prime Minister or the elected parliament.

"I do not need to take vote of confidence from the National Assembly as this house had unanimously elected me the Prime Minister," the Prime Minister said.

He said that if the opposition wants to move a no-trust move against him, it should be debated in the house.

He said that the government does not need any support of the opposition against the army or the anti-graft amnesty law but wants to strengthen democracy.

Gilani said that the government and the parliament will complete its five-year constitutional term and elections will be held in time. "We should decide whether or not democracy of dictatorship should rule the country," he said.

He rejected the impression about confrontation between state institutions and said his government is not against the army or the judiciary. He said his government made the army and intelligence chiefs answerable to the parliament and both had been invited to the parliament to answer to MPs questions.

Shortly after the speech by the Prime Minister, a leader in the ruling coalition tabled a resolution to back the democratic dispensation in the country.

The resolution will be debated on Monday when the house will meet again on Monday. -- NNN-XINHUA