Pledge to hold free, fair elections fulfilled: Hamid
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—Caretaker Federal Interior Minister Lt Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz has said that President Pervez Musharraf has fulfilled his pledge to hold elections in a free, fair and transparent manner.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday in the Interior Ministry, the Caretaker Interior Minister said that there is the possibility that President Musharraf might not be happy with the results of elections but he wholeheartedly accepted it.
Lt Gen Hamid Nawaz said that the demand from the political parties regarding resignation of President Musharraf is merely a statement, adding that he donot know whether his election as the President is legal or illegal.
The Interior Minister said that over all 18 deaths were reported in all over the country while 156 people sustained injuries but no major incident of violence was occurred, adding that the voting turnout was 45 percent. Lt Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz further said that in the tribal areas, elections were held in a peaceful manner as compare to the past and the turn out was also relatively high. The international observers who monitored the Monday’s elections and political parties have accepted the results, added the Interior Minister.
The Interior Minister said that the Housing Ministry has issued the notices to the deposed judges to vacate houses, adding that Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary and several other judges are living illegally in the official residences. He has no knowledge regarding locking the houses of the deposed judges, he added.
He said that it is upto the Supreme Court to take action over the issue, the Ministry cannot force the judges to vacate houses. Before the formation of the Caretaker Government, a part of the capital was declared Red Zone and the next Government would take the decision in this regard, he added.
Answering a question regarding investigation into killing of Benazir Bhutto, Lt Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz said that the accused involved in the killing of Late PPP Chairperson have been arrested from Karachi, Kamra and Charsadda. The Government would present them before the court soon, he added.
Responding to a question regarding negotiations with Bait Ullah Mehsud, Lt Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz said the calm and peaceful situation during Muharram and elections reflect that the menace of terrorism has been eliminated in the country. The Minister however stated that the country is facing menace of terrorism in the tribal areas of the country near Afghan border, adding that the terrorists are fleeing and the on-going operation would be continued until their complete elimination of the terrorists. In the terrorists’ incidents in the country, RAW and other elements are involved. He said that foreign elements are involved in the terrorist incidents in the country and a specific segment is encouraging the ideology that the suicide bomber would get Jinnah. He urged the Ulema to play their role in this regard. Terrorists involved in the incidents of bomb blasts in Karachi have been arrested and important revelation would be expected, he added.