Pakistan Views

President Pervez Musharraf vowed to work in a ‘totally harmonious manner’ with whoever wins key parliamentary elections as he cast his ballot in the crucial polls on Monday.
Musharraf voted in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, adjoining Islamabad, along with family members including his mother, presidential spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi said.
“Whosoever wins the polls, as president of Pakistan I will function with them in a totally harmonious manner,” Musharraf told state television, dressed in a light blue jacket and open-necked shirt.
“Confrontational politics is damaging Pakistan we should engage in conciliatory politics which will be good for the country. I will cooperate,” he added.
Opposition leaders have vowed protests if allegations of widespread rigging are proven, but President Musharraf urged them to “accept the results gracefully.”
“Winners should show humility and the losers also should demonstrate grace. The trend of crying foul on results should end now,” he added.
“I will myself congratulate those who win. If a party wins it can bring its prime minister and if there is a hung parliament they can form a coalition.”
Musharraf’s allies, the former ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q, face a tough battle against martyred opposition leader Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party and the outfit of former premier Nawaz Sharif.
Opposition parties have alleged massive vote-rigging in favour of the PML-Q. The government and election commission have denied the claims.
More than 80 million people are eligible to vote in the elections, which have been overshadowed by violence including Benazir’s martyrdom at a political rally on December 27.
Her martyrdom caused elections to be postponed from their original date of January 8.