Lahore, Oct 3 : Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the Pakistan Government would first exercise the option of holding a dialogue with the Haqqani network rather than taking military action against it, to arrive at a peace settlement.

“We should give peace a chance at the first place by holding dialogue with the militants,” he said.

His statement a US accusation that Pakistan has links with the militant Haqqani network.

Islamabad, Sept 9 : Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani will visit Iran from September 11 to 13 for talks with the Iranian leadership.

“The recent visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi to Pakistan and his meetings with Pakistani leaders will provide important substantive inputs into the visit by the Prime Minister Gilani to Iran,” the APP quoted Foreign Office Spokesperson Tehmina Janjua, as saying at the weekly press briefing.

"Pakistan has always favoured dialogue with India to a war," said Yousuf Raza Gilani, Prime Minister of Pakistan while appreciating India's "intention" to resume talks.

Reiterating Pakistan's stance on resumption of dialogue, Gilani said "politicians make bridges not walls", as reported. by APP news agency.

Lahore, Jan. 3 : The impending issues over sharing river water between India and Pakistan could trigger a war between the two countries, Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on education, Sardar Aseff Ali has said.

Talking to media persons on the sidelines of a seminar here, Ali said Pakistan could pull out of the Indus Water Treaty with India, if the latter does not stop violating the treaty by constructing new dams on the Indus River, a move which could greatly affect Pakistan’s water share.

Karachi, Dec. 13 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has backtracked on his earlier statement that the Pakistani military’s ground offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan is over.

“I may have said it in a different context. Our army operation in South Waziristan is going on quite successfully, and I can’t tell any timeline,” the Daily Times quoted Gilani, as saying.

New York, Nov. 29 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s sudden decision to hand over the ‘nuclear button’ to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is unlikely to make any difference, as it is the Army which has always controlled nuclear decisions in the country.

Islamabad, Nov. 27 : As the US continues to ponder over whether to send more troops to Afghanistan to facilitate the ‘war on terror’ or not, Pakistan has raised apprehensions over the expected massive surge in the neighbouring country, saying it could destabilise its border regions.

Interacting with media persons during a press conference here, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said sending more troops to Afghanistan would further enhance problems in Balochistan.

Islamabad, Nov. 14 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said heightened tension with India is affecting its ongoing war against the Taliban.

During a meeting with US National Security Adviser Lt. General (retired) James Jones here, Gilani said his government is fully committed to rooting out extremism from its soil, but the tension on the eastern border is having a detrimental effect on such efforts.

Islamabad, Nov. 7 : Worried by the current turbulent political scenario in the country emanating due to the government’s failure to table the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in parliament, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is unlikely to participate in the forthcoming Commonwealth Summit to be held in Port of Spain later this month.

“The prime minister will possibly not be attending the summit,” The Dawn quoted Gilani’s close aide, as saying.

Islamabad, Oct 19 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s sudden visit to former cricketer turned politician Imran Khan’s Bani Gala residence on the bank of picturesque Rawal Lake is being seen as an important political event.
People belonging to all shades of life were invited except President Asif Ali Zardari. Khan sarcastically said on the podium that he deliberately avoided inviting Zardari because of the enormous security involved.

Islamabad  - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday left for China to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization scheduled for October 14 in Beijing.

During his four-day visit, Gilani was to call on Chinese President Hu Jintao, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and other top leaders, state-run Pakistan Television reported.

The Pakistani premier said his visit would promote economic and defence cooperation between Pakistan and China as well as strengthen cultural and social relations.

Islamabad, Oct 3  The Saudi Arabia government has freed five Pakistanis who were wrongly implicated in a narcotics case in that country, the Online news agency reported.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday welcomed the decision by the Saudi government.

The Pakistanis were freed after the arrests of the real culprits who had placed the narcotics in the victims' belongings before they boarded the flight to Saudi Arabia. The accused were arrested in Pakistan.

Islamabad, Sep. 20 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yosuf Raza Gilani is back to singing his ‘K-tune’ by describing Kashmir as Pakistan’s jugular vein.

Interacting with a group of political leaders during an Iftaar party at the PM House here, Gilani said Islamabad’s policy on Kashmir was based on Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s stance that “Kashmir was the jugular vein of Pakistan.”

Referring to the government’s recent decision to grant internal autonomy to Gilgit-Baltistan, Gilani said Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir would remain unchanged.

Karachi, Sep. 6 : Stressing the need for resumption of bilateral talks with India, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said Islamabad wants relations with New Delhi on an equal footing.

“We want relations with India on an equal basis and it is our resolve that we will not allow our soil to be used for terrorism. Therefore, we want a proper dialogue to be resumed as in the present situation, the terrorists are getting benefit of the situation,” Gilani said.

Islamabad, Aug. 28 : Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday said that the resolution of the present energy crisis in the country is the foremost priority of his government and urged the US and international community to extend help to develop the power sector.

He was talking to David Lipton, Senior Director for International Economics in the National Security Council of the US who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House on Friday.

Islamabad, Aug. 21 : Terming the Kashmir issue as a ‘cornerstone’ of country’s foreign policy, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said his government is ‘vigorously’ pursuing the issue.

Speaking in the Lower House of parliament, Gilani said the government fully supported the cause of the Kashmiri people.

Lahore, Aug. 16 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has rejected reports that the Army is trying to protect former President General Pervez Musharraf from high treason charges, adding that neither he, nor his party, has any love for the former general.

Interacting with media persons on the sidelines of an inauguration function of a power plant in Sheikhupura, Gilani stressed that country’s Armed forces were not a ‘stumbling block’ in Musharraf’s trial.

Islamabad  - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday called for a change in the national mindset to counter terrorism and extremism, as the country marked its 63rd Independence Day.

"We think the enduring solution to terrorism is to continue with the efforts to change the thinking of the people [towards elements who are exploiting the religion of Islam]," Gilani said.

Security forces have been battling a Taliban insurgency in Swat valley and its neighbouring districts for over three months.

Lahore, Aug. 14 : Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s refusal to meet British diplomat Mark Lyall Grant has cast doubts over his real purpose in visiting Islamabad.

While Grant has stated that his visit to Pakistan is aimed at promoting Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s commitment to a strategic dialogue between both countries, observers believe there is more than meets the eye in Gilani refusing to meet the envoy.

Islamabad, Aug. 10 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s Adviser on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik, has challenged the Taliban to prove that its leaders are still alive, in the wake of reports that Baitullah Mehsud and Hakimullah Mehsud have been killed.