February 15, 2002	Friday	Zilhaj 2, 1422

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WASHINGTON, Feb 14: “I may sound arrogant and undemocratic, but I have a role to play beyond 2002,” President Gen Pervez Musharraf declared on Wednesday.

Outlining his thoughts on political restructuring at a dinner hosted by the embassy for the Pakistani community, the general reiterated his commitment to hold election in October, but said he would make sure of the continuity and sustainability of the reforms his government was carrying out in various areas.

Gen Musharraf’s indication that he wants to continue as president came a day after his assertion at a lecture organized by two Washington-based think tanks that real democracy was already functioning in the country and elections would only “put a label of democracy” on the set-up.

The general’s statement at the dinner was greeted with applause by the audience. At one point, he referred to the period before he took over as a “decade of disaster”.

During the president’s visit, American officials have shown interest in fair elections and Pakistan’s return to democratic governance. Even the promised $1 billion debt relief has been made conditional, among other things, to the holding of election.

President Musharraf emphasized the need for devolution and recounted the steps taken by his government in the educational, economic, power and information technology sectors.

He also dwelt on Pakistan’s relations with India and Afghanistan, saying that Islamabad would soon reopen its embassy in Kabul and consulates in Kandahar and Jalalabad. He was all praise for Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai, who had the “potential to bring unity and stability” to his country.

Gen Musharraf said Pakistan looked forward to economic cooperation with Afghanistan, and pointed out that there were massive opportunities for trade and economic activity between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia.

The president described how a joint declaration, accepting the centrality of the Kashmir issue, had been agreed during his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at Agra but was scuttled by other elements in the Indian leadership. He said a table with two chairs had been set out for the signing ceremony of the declaration and Pakistan had even agreed to a modified draft, but the Indians backed out at the last moment.

The president reiterated his belief in a progressive, tolerant and dynamic Pakistan.