Musharraf can be part of set-up if works within Constitution: Mukhtar

ISLAMABAD—Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, a hopeful for premiership candidacy, Tuesday said if President Pervez Musharraf works with the political parties under the framework of the Constitution, he can be part of the whole set up.“We don’t want to upset the whole system, but we want to ensure that the country embarks upon a true path of progress and prosperity,” he said in an interview with APP.
Replying to a question about delay in naming the candidate for premiership, he said “Why media is creating such a horrible picture. The nomination will be made public but the whole thing depends on when the national assembly session is called.”
“The name can be announced even few minutes before the national assembly session,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of Asif Ali Zardari becoming the prime minister in future, he said If he (Mukhtar) became the prime minister he would willingly vacate the post in case the PPP co-chairperson were to take the office. To a question, Ahmad Mukhtar said “The prime minister could be from any province as all the provinces were part of Pakistan. Any nomination from Punjab or any other province like NWFP or Balochistan will not damage federation.”
Answering a question about reported remarks made by PML-N leader Khwaja Asif about another prime minister hopeful Amin Faheem blaming him for contacts with the President, he said “the matter is up to our party leadership.” In reply to a query about restoration of deposed judges , he said both political parties have reached an understanding to let the Parliament decide on this issue.
“I am not a legal person and the policy about restoration of judges has been made by legal experts of PPP and PML-N. I think it is quite better to let the Parliament decide over it.” Dismissing the impression that it would be difficult for both PPP and PML-N to continue their current friendly relations in future, he said both mainstream political parties have joined hands as it was not possible for any single party to cope with challenges confronting the country. —APP