PM raps Sharifs, sidesteps Journalists Colony issue

Addressing oath-taking ceremony of the Lahore Press Club, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani started his speech with the topic of ‘welfare of journalists’ but soon switched over to criticising the Sharif brothers. He rapped the Sharifs while favouring new provinces as a way to curb alienation.He said that to be a third-time prime minister was Nawaz Sharif’s issue, “not Gilani’s”. But those who talk of a short cut should wait for their turn, he added.About the issues of smaller and new provinces, the PM said had provinces given autonomy, Bangladesh could still have been part of Pakistan. He said he is in favour of smaller parties and provinces. He also vowed that all promises made by President Zardari would be fulfilled by the government.Gilani said if he had any ill intentions, he would have objected to third-time premiership as it was only going to benefit Nawaz, but “I never did so”. He said that Pakistan wants good relations will the US on the basis of equality and self respect.SILENCE ON JOURNALISTS COLONY: The PM announced establishment of endowment fund for the families of the deceased journalists, but failed to even touch on the most relevant issue of living journalists – the festering issue of Journalist Housing Society. A number of council members of the Lahore Press Club await the government’s benevolence to enable them have small plots in the society as they were previously left out in the balloting on one pretext or the other.The journalists, who speak for the rights of others, have repeatedly been maneuvered by unscrupulous elements within the ranks of their colleagues. Candidates for F-block in the Journalist Housing Society were last year given out forms of the Punjab Housing Foundation, but the move was by and large rapped as a point-scoring measure ahead of the LPC elections, with minimal or no attention from Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif unlike his predecessor Pervaiz Elahi who had come up with the idea of Journalist Colony and materalised it for a good number of journalists.All these journalists were pinning hopes on the PM, who like the rulers of the Punjab, only ended up disappointing them. The PM however said that the Pakistan Press Council would be made functional and effective.A report meanwhile said that the PM announced a grant of Rs 10 million for the LPC, wheras according to an estimate approximately Rs 180 million are required to accomodate left-out journalists in the Journalists Colony, Lahore.