President urges Cabinet to be proactive
Condemns terror attack in Dargai
By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—A meeting of federal cabinet and some parliamentarians has been held here Wednesday in Aiwan-e-Sadr with President General Pervez Musharraf in the chair to work out strategy in connection with passage of women protection bill from the parliament.
Sources told Wednesday that President made it clear on the participants of the meeting that they should not to be blackmailed by MMA saying that Religious Alliance and PML-N if tender resignations from the assemblies in the event of passage of bill, let them do so and not to be worried about it. It will reinforce government writ, he added.
President cautioned if the bill is not passed, the MMA will exploit it for political gains. Sources informed that minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad opined that no haste be shown in passage of bill and all be taken on board in this regard. MMA should not be sidelined all at once as it will trigger crisis in two provinces where they are sharing the power. It is not easy to hold by polls there too, he added. However, some ministers supported women protection bill and strategy was also devised to get the bill passed. Sources said that President asked the cabinet members not to worried over announcement by MMA in connection with their resignations. “ Let them do so if they will”, president underscored.
President General Pervez Musharraf expressing the government’s resolve and conviction to eliminate terrorism from society has called upon the nation and political forces to work unitedly for accomplishment of this task.
He stated this while chairing a meeting of Ministers and selected members of Parliament from the four provinces on Wednesday. The meeting discussed the current political situation in the country. The President said that the extremism and terrorism is the critical problems facing the nation and we have to deal with it very forcefully. He said that the protection of National Interest is our priority and the Government will take all possible measures to protect our National Interest. The meeting also reviewed the development activities undertaken by the government and the measures for alleviation of poverty and improving the quality of life of the common man.
The participants while appreciating the steps taken by the government for elimination of terrorism expressed their firm resolve to support the government to accomplish this task. Defending the Bajaur operation President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that MMA has no right to criticise the operation as they give tickets of heaven to extremists while their own children sit in full comfort at home.