ISLAMABAD - President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said he was contesting the presidential election to steer the country away from serious crises it was confronting and put it on the path of economic development.
The President said this during a meeting here with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, President PML-Q, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, ruling party’s Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, according to sources privy to high-level consultations.
The source said the meeting discussed in detail the government’s strategy for the presidential election and in this regard the APDM decision to tender resignations from the Senate, National Assembly and Provincial assemblies.
The meeting also deliberated upon the talks with PPP for clinching support to re-elect General Musharraf as President, the source added. The President, Prime Minister and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain expressed satisfaction over the submission of presidential nomination papers in a smooth manner.
It was decided to pursue the campaign for presidential election vigorously and try to muster maximum possible support of parties other than the ruling alliance coalition, the sources said.
President reiterated his resolve that he would work for the prosperity and progress of the country after his re-election. The President also hosted an Iftar dinner in the honour of PML-Q parliamentarians from NWFP as well as its allied parties here at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Speaking on the occasion, General Musharraf said that good governance, provincial autonomy and national reconciliation would be on the top of his agenda after his re-election as President. He said he was doing all that for the welfare of the country adding that continuation of policies was necessary for durable development in the country.
He assured that if he is re-elected as President, the government would go for maximum possible development in NWFP and the rest of country and, therefore, he should be given maximum support for in the presidential elections. He said the country was facing the serious threat of terrorism and extremism and he would not leave the people of Pakistan in the lurch at this critical juncture.
On the occasion, the PML-Q parliamentarians from NWFP assured General Musharraf of their full cooperation and support for his re-election bid. The iftar dinner was attended by Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination, Saleem Saifullah and other ministers.