President hints at possibility of national govt New balance among power brokers needed
By Dawn panel
ISLAMABAD, April 25: President Pervez Musharraf hinted on Thursday at the possibility of his taking an initiative for a grand national reconciliation and formation of a national government — but not as long as Ms Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif remained politically active.
In a panel interview with Dawn at the Army House, he did not rule out the possibility of another referendum after a period of five years. However, he said, so far, he had not thought about the issue.
“I’ll look into the possibility keeping in mind the environment prevailing at the time. I’ll keep national interest supreme. I’ll see whether people want me or not. I am a great believer in self-analysis. I’ll proceed according to the ground realities,” the president said.
He was asked about the likelihood of another referendum for an additional term of five years term if at the end of the one he is seeking now he found that more reforms were needed to be introduced and those already introduced were required to be consolidated.
Replying to a question, the general said he would not like to have his name incorporated in the Constitution as the late general Zia had done. In his opinion, the late general had done a wrong thing by having his name included in the basic document.
Asked after the April 30 referendum and the one held by Gen Zia in 1984 to become an elected head of state why the electoral college for the future presidents should also not be changed, Gen Musharraf said he did not want to make any such amendment to the Constitution. The amendments he planned to introduce, he said, were aimed at meeting the requirements of his reforms agenda.
“What if a future prime minister having good relations with the president decides to have the term of his government extended through a referendum rather than elections?” he was asked.
The president said in such a situation it would be for the Supreme Court to decide whether such an option was available under the Constitution.
He said under the Constitution, only the president could hold a referendum.
Clad in an off-white shalwar kurta, the bespectacled general, who had toppled the PML government in October 1999, was in an upbeat mood and looking relaxed. He offered candid answers to all questions.
ISPR director-general Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, who is also the president’s press secretary, was also present.
TRANSPARENCY: About people who were participating in his public meetings, he said he was getting a spontaneous response and he felt encouraged by the turnout. He said he understood that people came to his meetings on their own and they all supported him.
The referendum, he said, would be transparent and the Election Commission was taking all necessary measures. He saw no harm in the voter of a particular area casting his vote at a distant polling station according to his convenience.
He rejected the suggestion that officials could exaggerate the turnout to please him.
In response to another question, Gen Musharraf said, to be able to achieve his targets and complete his reforms agenda, it was imperative that he stayed as president as well as army chief.
Idealism, he said, was good but one had to be pragmatic to achieve certain objectives. He said the targets he had set for himself necessitated that he should adopt a pragmatic approach, specially when there was a decline all around. “It’s necessary for me to remain in uniform. Do understand the power of the army chief.”
NO ROLE: He reiterated that he would not allow former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif a role in the future as this would restore the pre-1999 situation, which he would never let happen. He said as he was determined to implement his reforms agenda, he would not let these leaders come back. As a result, he added, for the time being there was no scope for a national reconciliation.
Asked about the people he was relying upon for support in the referendum when all major parties, including religious ones, and bar associations were opposed to him, Gen Musharraf said the factual position would become clear on April 30, the day of referendum.
According to Gen Musharraf, Ms Bhutto and Mr Sharif had nothing in common. Religious parties had their own thinking. Political parties hated one another but they seemed united because they were targeting him (Musharraf) as their common enemy.
Gen Musharraf said since he wanted to keep such elements out of power, there was no possibility of conciliation with them. “In the future, maybe, a reconciliation for a national government is possible.”
In response to a question, Gen Musharraf said in Pakistan political individuals, not parties, attracted votes and these individuals took decisions keeping in sight the onground situation. He said Ms Bhutto and Mr Sharif could adversely impact the situation and, thus, he wanted to keep them out of the arena and rely on the strength of the common man. He said he was trying to create awareness among the people on issues. “I am happy that people understand why these personalities should be kept away.”
MASSES: He said the Supreme Court Bar was said to be opposed to the referendum but a number of its office-bearers had expressed their support for him. Office-bearers of the district bars, during his recent visits to various districts, had not only participated in his meetings but also raised supportive slogans.
“Where are the ‘masses’ of the Supreme Court Bar. Let the Bar prove its strength.”
He claimed that masses were also not with political parties. Instead, he asserted, they were with him.
AMENDMENTS: About the constitutional amendments he planned to make, the general said he had no intention to spring any surprises and would have the proposed package debated in the media for about two months.
The National Reconstruction Bureau, he said, was already working out details of the package and, so far, half a dozen sessions had been held on the issue.
Gen Musharraf said the National Security Council would be set up to ensure that the future government did not violate the national interests, involve itself in misgovernance or corruption.
As for the prime minister, he assured that he would be fully powerful. “He’ll have all powers he deserves.”
The general made it clear that there would be no power sharing.
He underlined the need for a new balance of power among the three power brokers: the president, the prime minister and the army chief, to ensure smooth working of the future setup and avoid overlapping of powers. He regretted that in the past all the three had been transgressing their respective powers because of which the country had to face difficult situations.
Now, he said, he wanted to ensure that the future assemblies completed their constitutional tenure.
“But this will not be possible if the president was given power to dissolve the legislature,” he was suggested by the Dawn panel.
In response, he said the president must have such powers.
He criticized former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his abortive move to have the 15th constitutional amendment approved by parliament. “Have you ever thought what would have happened if the then government had succeeded in getting the amendment approved?” the general queried.
ACCOUNTABILITY: Replying to a question about the slow process of accountability, Gen Musharraf said courts were responsible for it and not the government. “Ask the courts why they are not deciding cases.”
He said the establishment of military courts might be one way of expediting disposal of corruption cases but such a step would attract enormous public criticism.
The general said the NAB could hold accountable even the army people and he had not issued any instructions to keep any institution out of the accountability fold. “There are no holds barred.”
The president said the performance of the NAB should be appreciated as this was the first institution to have apprehended important people. Of the people brought to dock, he said, 95 per cent were big wigs, including a former naval chief.
He said there were also people whose public image was different from their actual position. Many people regarded as corrupt were, on investigations, found innocent or no evidence was found against them.
