Interim setup after Nov 15: Durrani
By Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minster for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani said Monday that an interim setup consisting of non-political figures would be formed soon after November 15 to hold free and fair general elections. “Soon after November 15, the president would announce an interim setup and names of some non-political entities are under consideration in this regard. This setup would hold free, fair and transparent general elections which would pioneer a new political culture of completing the terms of assemblies and holding transparent elections on time,” he said while talking to a group of journalists at his residence.
Referring to the presidential election, the Minister said that the general masses and members of assemblies and Senate from all the four provinces have expressed their full confidence in the leadership of President Pervez Musharraf. “The PML and its allies are a time-tested alliance which submits to the masses an agenda of public service, national progress, transparent governance and politics of restraint. The coalition members of assemblies and parliament voted for President Musharraf inside assemblies while the masses rejected the strike call by opposition on October 6.
This unprecedented support for the president shows that the masses would support all those in the general elections who have voted for President Musharraf,” said the Minister. He said that the government coalition has emerged as a strong force after the presidential polls. “Despite the secret balloting, the coalition remained united which reveals that this coalition is based on ideology. The credit for this achievement goes to President Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, President PML Ch. Shujaat Hussain and the heads of all coalition parties,” he said adding that the unity of the coalition partners augurs well for a bright future for them. To a question, the Minister said the coalition government had necessary votes in the presidential poll and it did not need any additional votes. “Each individual exercised right to vote according to conscience. The president bagged more votes than he secured earlier in his vote of confidence. Unfortunately, the PPP and MMA legislators did not vote for their candidates Amin Fahim and Justice (R) Wajihuddin. Both the hopefuls for the top slot should get angry with their colleagues and not with the government,” he said.
To a question, the Minister said that the abstaining of PPP legislators in the presidential election proved that the National Reconciliation Ordinance was not introduced to win PPP support in the presidential poll. Rather, he added, the effort was aimed at obtaining broad-based national reconciliation and trust of political parties to end politics of confrontation.
Acclaiming the statement of Presidential candidate Makhdoom Amin Fahim who had welcomed the election of President Musharraf, Minister Durrani said the MMA candidate Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmad should also follow the PPP leader.