18 September 2004	Saturday	02 Shaban 1425

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LAHORE, Sept 17: Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed "hopes" that President Pervez Musharraf will retain both offices as the 17th constitutional amendment doesn't require him to quit one.

Asked at a news conference here on Friday if the President had taken a decision on not to hang up his uniform by the end of the year, the minister said: "I hope the president will retain both offices".

When he was reminded that in a televised address to the nation after the 17th amendment the president had given an undertaking that he would shed his military dress before the end of the year, the minister said the situation had remarkably changed since then.

In his opinion the retention of the two hats would not amount to violating the 17th amendment and in case an enactment was needed, the ruling coalition would go for it. The government was in a position to get such an act passed without difficulty, the minister said.

He insisted that in view of the regional situation and the most important decisions the country was going to take in the near future, Gen Musharraf, a man of vision, should hold both offices.

Asked why such decisions would not be possible in the presence of a new army chief whose appointment would be made by President Musharraf, the minister said the questioner knew it well.

"Doesn't the parliamentary leadership have the said vision", the minister was asked. He pointed out that it was the parliamentary leadership which was urging the president to retain his military office as well.

Replying to a question, Sheikh Rashid said the system under practice at present was parliamentary. However, he said, the president had his own position and if somebody thought that President Musharraf would be powerless like the late president Fazal Elahi Chaudhry, he was living in the past.

The minister did not give much importance to the MMA's threats that it would launch a movement in case President Musharraf did not relinquish the office of the army chief by Dec 31. "We'll see when the time comes".

The government, he said, had no objection to the NWFP Assembly's resolution against President Musharraf's uniform as it was part of the democratic process. He said other provincial legislatures would be adopting resolutions to support the general.

He took exception to the MMA MNAs's reported statement that if necessary they would be seeking the Taliban's help. He said "for the time being" the government had no intention to take any action against the NWFP government. He said he would be visiting the MMA-ruled province next month to apprise the people of the situation.

In response to a question, the information minister said Pakistan wanted to make progress on all issues in the ongoing composite dialogue. He said the president and the prime minister had made it clear that Kashmir was the core issue which needed settlement.

About Mr Natwar Singh's allegations that infiltration was still going on from the Pakistan side, Sheikh Rashid said Pakistan would not offer any comment that would vitiate the atmosphere. He said the world was watching the situation and Pakistan would not like to be held responsible for anything which could affect the dialogue process.

He reiterated that the government would not extradite to the US any foreigner hiding in Wana in case he surrendered. When it was pointed out that terrorist activities had increased since the launching of the Wana operation, Sheikh Rashid said a serious but short-lived reaction was always anticipated in such situations.

He told a questioner that nobody had visited Wana or Waziristan over the past five decades because of which there was no information about the situation there. The Angoor Adda incident provided a lead after which the government launched an operation. Training camps for terrorists had been discovered there which could be shown to the media.

In response to a question, the minister said the government was in contact with local representatives of the PPP and the PML-N. He said the ruling party wanted to take the opposition along, specially on the Wana and Balochistan issue.

Dismissing reports that Gen Musharraf wanted to negotiate any safe exit, Sheikh Rashid said in fact the exiled leaders were trying to finds ways to return home.

According to him, some opposition leaders met the government functionaries in the dark of the night. But, he said, the government wanted them to hold meetings in the light of the day.

Sheikh Rashid said the general election would be held in 2007 and by then the factions outside the fold of the united PML would also join in. He did not elaborate. He said local elections would be held next year.

Answering a question, the minister said he had been misquoted on the issue of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts. He said he was not aware where Osama was hiding or whether he was alive or dead.

Responding to a question, the minister said President Musharraf was proceeding to the United States on Sunday where he would address the UN General Assembly and hold meetings with various world leaders.