Pakistan Views

President Pervez Musharraf will be meeting in the next few days Muslim League-Q members annoyed with Chaudhry brothers, while Chaudhry brothers and Faisal Saleh Hayat will not be invited in this meeting. Senior journalist Saleh Zafar said that Faisalabad members Rana Asif Tauseef and Chaudhry Asim Nazir had threadbare discussions with President Musharraf in this regard and the meeting was expected in the next 2/3 days. Sources said that the envisaged meeting was an attempt in the direction of laying down the foundation of a new Muslim League constituting of dissenting members, which would have a leaning towards the Pakistan People’s Party, who would lend helping hands to the ruling alliance in case of Muslim league-N parted ways from the alliance. Analysts said that Chaudhry Shujaat and Asif Zardari have turned unacceptable to each other, while Shujaat seemed preferring increasing ties with ML-N, which President Musharraf well aware of confirmed this meeting with the dissenters in next few days.

President Pervez Musharraf has stressed the need for bridging the gap between policy formulation and implementation as well as their sustainability and continuation.He was addressing the participants of 88th National Management Course (BPS-18) and 3rd Senior NMC (BPS-19 and above) at National Management College here on Saturday.The President said, “Government sector is faced with two major problems- big gap between policy formulation and implementation as well as lack of their sustainability and continuation.”He observed there is a culture of changing policy by doing away with the policies of the previous government, which hinders the development of the country.Musharraf said, “You represent various professions of public departments and you are indeed the backbone and driving force of the government.”He called upon the officers to pay heed to implementation of policies, besides ensuring their sustainability.Another grave problem is time delay in decision making which due to both vertical (delay within the department) and horizontal (time delay among the departments) create obstacles in policy implementation, he maintained.”We must apply our minds on smooth functioning and continuation of policies,” he added.He pointed out that there is no systematic grooming of officers and weaknesses in Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs). The officers must show moral courage while writing the ACRs, he asserted.The President said nepotism is another menace of whole of Pakistan and the departments, which badly affects the working of departments. He stressed the need for selecting right persons and putting them on right job.

British Foreign Minister, David Miliband currently on a visit to Pakistan today called on President Pervez Musharraf here, when the President reiterated that Pakistan forces were alone authorized to take action in the territory within Pakistan, while David Miliband said that the talks with the militants laying down arms would help in mellowing down terrorism. Bilateral relations between Pakistan and Britain, boosting cooperation in different sectors, regional situation, terrorism and all other matters of mutual interests were discussed threadbare in the meeting between the British Foreign Minister, David Miliband and President Pervez Musharraf held at the Presidential Camp Office here. Sources told that President Musharraf on this occasion rubbished this impression given by the Western media that the allied forces have the permission to take action even in the Pakistan areas. President Musharraf said that the cooperation in war against terrorism would continue, as this war was in the interests of Pakistan. He said that Pakistan has paid a heavy price for this war.Both the leaders agreed on boosting cooperation in the political, economic, industrial and other sectors. Sources told that David Miliband on this occasion said that Britain and the world community want peace in the tribal areas besides at the borders and for this all possible help would be extended. He said that Britain supports the policy of holding talks with the surrendering militants, as this would help control the terrorism. British foreign minister said that the Frontier people were being mostly hurt by terrorism, who would be helped getting rid off it by extending all out cooperation to Pakistan. He lauded the steps taken for the democratic dispensation and strengthening of democratic institutions in Pakistan and offered all possible support in this regard also.

President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said Pakistan would continue to pursue a comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism. Talking to US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President emphasised the importance of a stable, broad-based and multifaceted relationship between the two countries.
They discussed Pakistan-US bilateral relations and the political situation in Pakistan. The President termed the oath-taking of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani as historical day for Pakistan and said the transition to full democracy has culminated.
He said moderate parties had emerged victorious in the election and the new government and the Prime Minister enjoy his full support. The President expressed the hope that the new government would focus on effectively addressing the economic and political challenges and sustain the economic growth achieved over the past eight years.
John Negroponte assured the President of continued commitment of the US government to Pakistan’s endeavours for socio-economic development. He underscored the importance of Pakistan in fighting extremism and terrorism. He also mentioned the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones legislation, that has been introduced in the Senate and US support for the Fata Development Plan

President Pervez Musharraf huddled with key aides on Monday after election winner parties agreed to form a coalition and reinstate the judges he deposed last year, officials said. Asif Ali Zardari, PPP co-chairman and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif signed a coalition pact on Sunday following last month’s general elections. In a major blow to Musharraf they also agreed to bring back, within the first 30 days of the new parliament, the judges ousted by the president during emergency rule last November. Government officials said President Musharraf was “meeting legal aides” at his office in Rawalpindi but did not give details on what was discussed. Private television channels said it was a “strategy meeting” including legal and constitutional advisers. Musharraf has come under pressure from Sharif and supporters of the deposed judges to step down following the drubbing of his political backers in the February 18 parliamentary polls. Musharraf on Saturday urged the incoming government to leave politics aside and focus on good governance, economic management and peace and stability. He denied accusations that he was delaying calling the new parliament, and said Friday the new assemblies would be convened within 10 days. Zardari said they had nothing “personal” against the embattled Musharraf. But Sharif said they considered him to be an unconstitutional president.

President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday advised an incoming coalition government, that may seek his resignation, to focus on fighting terrorism and sustaining economic growth rather than politics. The parties that defeated a pro-Musharraf alliance in an election last month have still to agree how to make up the new ruling coalition, and there is speculation they will try to drive out Musharraf. Musharraf said political peace was essential to keep the fight against terrorism on track and maintain growth in an economy pressured by rising crude oil and cooking oil prices. “These are very serious challenges,” Musharraf said at the launch of a new television station in the city of Multan in the Punjab province. “As soon as the governments are formed in the centre and in provinces, this is the cut off when there should be less politics and governance starts,” he said. “Put politics on a back-burner.”
Musharraf has said he will back the incoming government so long as it chooses political peace, but there is considerable expectation that Pakistan will face more political upheavals if its new leaders seek confrontation with the president.

Former premier Nawaz Sharif has accused President Pervez Musharraf of trying to “drive a wedge” between his PML-N and the PPP in a bid to thwart the formation of a coalition government by the two parties. Nawaz Sharif, who was deposed in a coup by Musharraf in 1999, said the PML-N and the PPP had come together after the February 18 general elections to form government despite not having a pre-poll alliance, Press Trust Of India (PTI) quoted Sharif as saying. The PML-N will support the PPP-led government to complete its full five-year term as the two parties shared common objectives like the restoration of the judiciary and ending the military’s role in politics, he said. “It is Musharraf, that has been ruling this country for the past eight years wearing a uniform, and I think he is trying to drive a wedge between the two of us (PML-N and PPP),” Sharif told interviewer Karan Thapar on the “Devil’s Advocate” programme.
“And he (Musharraf) is again trying his formula of divide and rule. We are not going to fall prey (to that),” he said. “We would rather like to see a full five-year term for the PPP. We will not destabilise the government at all,” Nawaz added.
The PPP, which emerged the largest party in the polls, is set to form government at the centre with the support of the PML-N and other smaller parties like the Awami National Party, he said.
Nawaz said the alliance between his party and the PPP was aimed at putting “the country back on the rails”. Asked if the two parties had sunk the differences, he said, “Yes, I suppose so.” He pointed out that he and slain PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto had signed a Charter of Democracy in 2006 that outlined their common objectives.
The former premier, who had once said he felt betrayed by Bhutto when she held talks on a power-sharing arrangement with Musharraf, said: “Despite these ups and downs, I think we have stuck to the charter.”
Nawaz Sharif repeated his call for Musharraf to quit, saying the President “is the real problem”. He said: “He has to step down because this is a very clear verdict from the people of Pakistan. It is a verdict from every nook and corner of the country. It says, ‘Musharraf, please step down’.”
Asked what would be the military’s role in the new dispensation, he said: “The military has its own job to do. I don’t want the military to come into politics. Let’s not talk about the military because I want the military to stay within their domain.”
If Musharraf did not step down, the new government would have to take steps to curb his powers. “(Musharraf) has…the powers to even sack the parliament, the cabinet and the prime minister. Don’t you think that these powers need to be taken away from him on the first day when we have the majority?” Sharif said.
“I think the restoration of the judiciary must take place on the first day. This is what I would do if I have the choice bu, of course, we have an alliance. We have already agreed upon the restoration of the judges, their reinstatement. But the modalities will have to be worked out in the parliament,” he added.
After the judges deposed during last year’s emergency are reinstated, they “will determine whether Musharraf is eligible to contest the elections of the president while wearing a uniform or not.”
The post-emergency Supreme Court comprising hand-picked judges had validated Musharraf’s re-election in uniform last year. “And once we get rid of this president who is still a dictator and who still holds all the powers, I think most of our problems will get resolved automatically,” said Nawaz.
He also said the PML-N was yet to decide on joining the PPP-led government. “We haven’t taken any decision on that as yet…If we join the government, our people will have to take oath from the President. And we don’t consider this President as a legitimate President,” he added.

Three major winning parties have agreed to use muscles of the parliament to restore the dissident judges, but two of them appeared to be shying away from a key question of removing President Pervez Musharraf. PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N head Nawaz Sharif and Awami National Party (ANP) president Asfandyar Wali on Wednesday met here along with top associates to boost co-operation for the formation of the future governments at the Centre and provinces. According to details emerging after the first tripartite contact, there was a consensus among the three that jurists, including Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, must be brought back to their jobs immediately when the new administration is put in place. But it remained unclear whether the troika had also discussed and arrived to some common ground on the issue of what should be the fate of President Musharraf.
The President suspended (now-restored) constitution and removed Supreme Court Chief Justice in November last year to avoid a possible decision against the legitimacy of his re-election as president a month before. “They have agreed on judges’ restoration,” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chairman Zafarul Haq told media after more than two-hour talks. “Through the power of the parliament,” he replied when asked what would be the operational strategy of these parties for doing so, but declined to share specific details. Some top constitutional experts, like Fakhruddin Ibrahim, briefed Zardari, Nawaz and Asfandyar on how they could use their numerical strength in the parliament to reinstate Iftikhar Chaudhry and fellows. Earlier, at a show of strength gathering attended by 171 National Assembly members-elect, they also called on President Pervez Musharraf to immediately summon parliament so they can show they have the majority needed to choose the next Prime Minister.
Zardari and Asfandyar did not either directly call for Musharraf’s resignation, or threatened with impeachment. “We are united together to empower the parliament and finish the establishment once and for all,” Zardari said in a rather indirect and more rhetorical warning to Musharraf. Asfandyar also restricted himself from sending any strong message of confrontation to the President. The restoration of judiciary and upholding the rule of law must be the hallmark of struggle, he remarked. Nawaz, however, kept up his anti-Musharraf stance, perceivably a reason for which contenders from his party were voted to power by people mostly in the central Punjab and non-Pushtoon belt of North West Frontier Province (NWFP). “We must fight together; we must defeat dictatorship,” he added. He claimed that the three parties had already gained two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and they would have it in the Senate soon, a qualification they need to send Musharraf home, if a political will is there at all.
Polls’ outcome shows PPP, PML-N and ANP are close to grab two-thirds majority in the National Assembly to impeach Musharraf and bring back judges by amending the constitution.
But they do not hitherto have such a right in the Senate. Half of its members are to be elected in March next year through four provincial assemblies where their parties once again are in majority. So, academically, they need at least one more year to be able to oust Musharraf through a parliamentary reprimand. But, already faced by a hostile lawyers’ movement, he may not be in a position to survive another wave of unfriendly protests by politicians this time around.
AGENCIES ADD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won the most seats but not enough to form a government on its own. The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) led by Nawaz Sharif, came second and the two parties are in talks, along with a smaller third group, on a coalition government that could force Musharraf from power. The coalition has been wooing several independent MPs in a bid to gain the two-thirds majority, even if it is just to increase the pressure on Musharraf, a bulwark in US efforts to tackle al Qaeda and Taliban militants. Asif Ali Zardari said the opposition should work together to end the supremacy of the military-led establishment. “I think the homage to my … wife would be that we unite together, we take democracy, we take power for parliament and once and for all, finish the establishment,” Zardari told the meeting. Nawaz assured Zardari that his party would extend full support to him, although he did not say his party would accept cabinet posts. Some senior officials in Nawaz’s party have said it might support the PPP, but not serve in the government. “We must see that we have a long-lasting democracy in this country and abandon the role of the army and the military in the politics of Pakistan forever,” Nawaz said. “This is what we should be striving for.” Nawaz said the opposition parties would end up with two-thirds of National Assembly seats and he called on Musharraf to call the session as soon as the Election Commission issues official results. It is expected to declare results by Saturday. “We are not prepared to wait for a single more day for the assembly to be convened,” he said. Talking to newsmen on Wednesday, Zafarul Haq said that during the newly elected MNAs meeting, Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Asfandyar Wali Khan agreed on the reinstatement of the sacked judges and the power of parliament would be utilised for it.
“During the meeting, all the leaders expressed identical views and agreed over the restoration of the judges who were illegally sacked” he added. He said the legal experts Fakharuddin G Ibrahim, Latif Khosa and Farooq Naik expressed their views about the restoration of judges in the meeting. The PML-N Chairman said, a committee was set up for legal advice and to prepare its report within week to suggest steps for the restoration of judges.” “There were differences in the meeting and all the leaders agreed over the reinstatement of judges” he noted.

President Pervez Musharraf said he has no plans to resign despite a sweeping election victory by opposition parties over his allies, in a US newspaper interview published on late Tuesday. Asked by the Wall Street Journal whether he would resign or retire, President Musharraf said: “No, not yet. We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan,” according to the interview published on the newspaper’s website. Musharraf faced mounting calls to quit on Tuesday as the opposition parties moved towards a coalition government. If he stays in office, he may have to work with Nawaz Sharif, leader of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League. Sharif was ousted as prime minister by General Musharraf in a coup in 1999. Musharraf stepped down as army chief last November. “The president has no mandate to share governing power with the prime minister,” Musharraf said, according to the Journal’s interview transcript.”The clash would be if the prime minister and president would be trying to get rid of each other. I only hope we would avoid these clashes,” he added.
“I would like to function with any party and any coalition because that is in the interest of Pakistan,” Musharraf told the newspaper, declining to say whether he was concerned his opponents would try to oust him. “We have to go for conciliatory politics and harmonious interaction within the government, between various parties and between the prime minister and the government,” he added. “I will strive towards that end.”

President General Pervez Musharraf has ruled out to yield any international pressure to stop further improving the nuclear capability.

He stated this here while addressing a gathering of Pakistani community. Pakistan is the only nuclear power among the Muslim countries, he remarked.

The atomic missile programme of Pakistan is mush better than the same programme of many countries, he said.