President warns against post election agitation
Promises fair, free election
By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Ruling out possibility of rigging in polls, President Pervez Musharraf has pledged there would be no further delays in elections due on February 18 which were postponed in early January after the assassination of late Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto at a campaign rally in Rawalpindi on December 27. “It is my promise to the nation that the vote would be free, fair, transparent and peaceful, he said this while speaking at the special seminar “Unity for the sake of Election” organized by Federal Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Thursday.
The President vowed to deal sternly with anyone who tried to disrupt the electoral process by saying that in the atmosphere of terrorism, no disruption and violence would be allowed. Urging citizens to cast vote at all cost in the elections, the President rejected accusations of rigging leveled by opponents and directed Political Parties, leaders and media not to create problem and crisis for the country. The International Non Government Organization (NGOs) should not spread rumours about rigging in the elections, he said. We can not neglect our national interest, as Pakistan comes first, he said. The derailed process of democracy is back on track and elections will be on February 18 despite all rumors, he said, added, Pakistan’s “reputation is at stake and to an extent our future depends on this. President Pervez Musharraf added that the upcoming elections for a new Parliament was a crucial step in the country’s transition to democratic rule. Pakistan has been passing through critical time of his history and we will have to overcome the confronting crises, he said.
The Government have taken all measures to make elections rigging free, he said. The other functions of state can not run without democracy and we will have to run the system. “We don’t know who is going to lose and who is going to win,” Musharraf said. He said he believes in democratic system but democracy comes after state. “We don’t want such democracy which would take the state towards failure state. There should be proper check and balance in democratic system”, Musharraf told the gathering in Islamabad. “We had introduced local Government system in the country which is running properly. The system would develop with passage of time”, he said, adding that, stabilizing the women, independence of media, freedom of expression and great representation of minorities in the assemblies and opening of new channels was hallmark of his previous Government. “Rigging in polls was held in the tenure of previous Governments. The assemblies had completed its tenure for the first time in the history of the country while senate has completed its half tenure”, he maintained. The first era of democracy, he said, in his tenure was run till 2002 and second till 2006.
“There is a shortage of genuine leadership among the political parties. There is democracy on paper in the political parties. There would be no democracy in the country until there is democracy within the Parties. There is lot of need to introduce democratic system in the Political Parties”, the President pointed out. The elections scheduled to be held on February 18 would be mother of all elections, he said, adding that, no one including him has the power to disrupt the elections. The eyes of international community are on the elections of Pakistan, he told the participations in the seminar.