Elections as per schedule: Shaukat

OUR STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that Pakistan is a peaceful country and believes in maintaining minimum credible defence to ensure peace and stability in the region.

“Strong and credible defence is the ultimate guarantee to peace”, the Prime Minister said while chairing a meeting of Defence Committee of the Cabinet at PM House on Monday.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan doesn’t have aggressive designs against any country and believes in the peaceful settlement of international disputes through diplomatic efforts, says an official statement.

He said Pakistan’s defence policy is based on peaceful coexistence and is in conformity with the prevailing geo-strategic environment and the national aspirations.

He said the government is fully cognizant of the country’s defence needs and would modernize and upgrade its defence forces in view of the fast paced ongoing technological developments.

The Prime Minister lauded the role of the armed forces during the recent floods in various parts of the country and also for their role in facilitating the rehabilitation and reconstruction process in the earthquake affected areas.

The Committee reviewed the progress on the decisions of the last meeting held on November 27 last year and expressed satisfaction over the results.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Minister for Defence Production Maj (Retd) Habibullah Warraich, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani, Advisor on Finance Dr Salman Shah, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majeed, Vice Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Afzal Tahir, and Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmad and other senior official.

APP: Shaukat Aziz said under the third phase of the political process in the country, general elections will be held according to the schedule.

Addressing a news conference at the PM Secretariat he categorically stated that there will be no hurdle in the third phase of the political process. “Elections will be held according to schedule as we want democracy to flourish in Pakistan,” Aziz said.

He said the cabinet in its meeting on Wednesday will discuss the emergency and the presidential elections.

While talking to a cross section of PML and coalition party leaders at PM House, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said that the PML and allied parties fully support President Musharraf’s decision to impose emergency in the country’s national interest.

He was talking to PML President Ch Shujaat Hussain, Speaker National Assembly Ch Amir Hussain, Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao, Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani, Minister for Railways Sh Rashid, Minister for Religious Affairs Ijaz-ul-Haq, Minister for Law Zahid Hamid, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan, State Minister for Information Tariq Azeem and chief whip National Assembly Sardar Nasrullah Khan Dareshak.

Ch Shujaat Hussain while endorsing the views of the Prime Minister said the country’s security and solidarity was important, adding that the PML and allied
parties would always support such measures which strengthen the country.

The meeting discussed the current political situation in the country. Later, a meeting at PM House decided that no hurdles will be tolerated in judicial matters and the judges would be provided utmost protection and security, sources said.
Federal ministers and top officials of law enforcement agencies attended the meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in chair.The meeting discussed the situation in the country after imposition of the state of emergency and devised strategy to meet expected reaction of lawyers and political parties, sources said. The meeting decided to provide maximum security to judges and to beef up security in high courts and the Supreme Court.

The meeting also issued directives to provincial governments to curb protest rallies and public meetings today (Monday).

While chairing a meeting of Defence Committee of the Cabinet at PM House, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan is a peaceful country but believes in maintaining minimum credible defence to ensure peace and stability in the region.

“Strong and credible defence is the ultimate guarantee to peace,” the Prime Minister added. He said Pakistan does not have aggressive designs against any country and believes in the peaceful settlement of international disputes through diplomatic efforts. He said Pakistan’s defence policy is based on peaceful coexistence and is in conformity with the prevailing geo-strategic environment.

The committee reviewed the progress on the decisions of the last meeting held on November 27 last year and expressed satisfaction over the results.

The meeting was attended among others by Senior Minister for Defence Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Minister for Defence Production Maj (R) Habibullah Warraich, Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani, Advisor on Finance Dr Salman Shah, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majeed, VCOAS Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Afzal Tahir, Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmad and other senior officials.