May 11, 2002	Saturday	Safar 27, 1423

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DUBAI, May 10: After a resounding victory in the referendum, President Gen Pervez Musharraf said he was a “democrat by instinct” and was continuing in office in the interest of democracy.

“During my 38 years of service in the army, particularly as a senior commander and later as army chief, I have always adopted a very democratic path. I have always sought and encouraged views and debate on issues at meetings and conferences and then taken appropriate decisions,” the general said in an interview to the Khaleej Times.

“I am involving myself in politics in the interest of democracy, maturing democracy and consolidating democracy. I want democracy to take firm roots in Pakistan and not to derail or fail in future. I want a constitutional answer to every political crisis.

“As you know there have been problems, destabilisation and political crisis in the past to which there was no constitutional answer.”—APP