Mushahid for joint efforts to face challenges
Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—The problems confronting the country at this particular juncture need all political forces to make concerted efforts and reach a mutual consensus as individual, party or institution could not take on these challenges alone.“February 18 polls would determine the future course of action for the country with the next government according top priority to eliminate terrorism,” Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said this at a press briefing here Sunday.
He said apart from differences and struggle to clinching power, every party should endear the supreme national interests. Senator Mushahid said stability of the country was associated with free, fair and transparent polls. He stressed the West to accept the investigation done by Scotland Yard Team into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
He said PML never opposed the investigation of Benazir’s assassination to be carried out by UN, and intended to unearth the real culprits behind the incident. However, he said UN had no such institution to carry out investigation and it would ask Scotland Yard or other investigation agencies of the West to look into the matter.
He strongly condemned the suicide attack at a political gathering in Charsadda and the brutal murder of senior journalist, Chishti Mujahid in Quetta. “Terrorist are our joint enemies who want to sabotage the political process.” He said political campaign of PML was in full swing in all four provinces and the nation wanted free and fair elections being conducted peacefully. He said many observers from across the world as well as foreign diplomats in Pakistan would be monitoring the polls. “It’s a welcome move that polls are under strict monitoring, so no one would cast suspicions over the results now.”
He underscored the need for issues-based politics unlike the past traditions of pointing fingers and maligning at each other. “PML’s election campaign is based on issues.” He said arrangements were being made at PML House to collect and then disseminate electoral results to the media. “An Election Room would be set up on February 17 at PML House to keep in touch with our candidates and media.”
Senator Mushahid hailed the decision of Election Commission to authorising Returning Officers for announcing results of their respective constituencies, adding, “we welcome the steps taken to make EC impartial and transparent.” He informed that the delegations of three US Senators and six Members of Congress would arrive here on February 17. To a question over identification of names by Benazir Bhutto in a letter to President Pervez Musharraf, Senator Mushahid said neither BB had mentioned any name in the FIR she registered nor the leaders of PPP had given any names. Differentiating the killings of Benazir Bhutto and former Lebanese premier, he said Hariri’s death allegedly involved a foreign country while BB’s had no such occurrence.