By Media Monitor Desk

Islamabad: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said Thursday conspiracies are being hatched to topple the democratically elected government.

"I want to make it clear that there are intrigues and conspiracies going on and the conspiracy is to pack up the elected government. I want to tell them that whether we are in government or opposition or among the people, we will fight for the rights of the people of Pakistan," he said at a ceremony held with regard to birth anniversary of founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

"I want to make it clear that there are intrigues and conspiracies going on and the conspiracy is to pack up the elected government. I want to tell them that whether we are in government or opposition or among the people, we will fight for the rights of the people of Pakistan," Gilani said

The Prime Minister said that the Pakistan Army was an organized institution and would respect the constitution.

The prime minister said no army in the world could fight a war without the backing of the masses, adding that the nation would have to decide if it wanted democracy or dictatorship.

"Army could not counter any foreign aggression and menace of terrorism without the support of people," he underlined. "They are being paid from the state exchequer, people�s revenues and taxes," he said.

"We have the highest regard and respect for the army of Pakistan because they have stood up against terrorism, extremists. We have given the whole country ownership by PM taking responsibility for all military actions in country, united country, held APC."

"If any individual thinks they are not under the government, they are mistaken," he said.

Gilani said he is the first PM after Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who has spent maximum period during premiership. "If the incumbent leadership was declared corrupt then from where the alternative leadership would be imported," he said.

"Allegations of treason were leveled against the leadership which led to dismemberment of Pakistan," he stated.

"Democracy could not stay stable in the country if under -19 team was brought, he cautioned. Dictatorship had ambushed democracy repeatedly," he remarked.

He said efforts were underway to declare the sitting leadership corrupt. "People had grown conscious and if we would term people wrong then it would be an insult to the vision of the people," he added.

"All the institutions were subordinate to constitution," he said, adding when constitution was given to the country for the first time in 1956 the then leadership had visited mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam, barefooted and offered "Nawafil" of gratitude and paid tribute to father of nation, he remarked.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto gave consensus constitution to the nation in 1973 and dictators mutilated it twice later, he said, adding the PM is chief executive of the country in parliamentary system of democracy and all the stakeholders including PM were subordinate to parliament.

"If we are not respected and if I can�t guarantee the rights of the people of Pakistan then I have no right to be the PM of Pakistan," Gilani said

He said people have to decide whether they want �elected people or a dictatorship"

Addressing the National Assembly, Gilani said that if he cannot protect rights of people, he cannot sit in parliament

"Any government institution has to be routed through answerable to parliament. All the institutions of the country are answerable to parliament and nobody is above the law," he said.

"Without making anyone target of criticism, I would like to make the point that joint session of parliament was held to discuss how Osama bin Laden lived in this country for six years. I formed a commission".

"Now they are asking how visas were given. We want to ask which visa did Osama used to come (to Pakistan). How he entered Pakistan? That was the cause for which parliament passed a resolution, why the security was not taken care of, " he said