July 23, 2007	Monday	Rajab 07, 1428

LAHORE, July 22: Minister of State for IT Ishaq Khan Khakwani on Sunday proposed that President Pervez Musharraf should himself call a round table conference and extend invitations to all opposition parties with a view to charting a future course of action at a time when the country faced a threat of direct strikes on the alleged Al-Qaeda targets.

Talking to Dawn, he said the opposition parties should also accept the invitation and raise all their demands concerning arrangements for free and fair elections with the president.

An outspoken leader of the ruling PML, Khakwani said opposition’s demand that President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz resign after the Supreme Court verdict was not justified. The best thing in the prevailing situation, especially on the country’s western border and the rise of the militant fundamentalists, would be an evolutionary step in accordance with the Constitution to have the demands met.

“This process will not be spread over years - rather it will take only a few months to complete, during which the general election and the election of the president will be held”.

A leader from Vehari, Khakwani said: “It’s also a big probability after the Supreme Court judgment that Gen Musharraf may become a civilian president because he has reasonable support both at home and abroad”.

He said a civilian president would immediately bring an end to the army’s role in governance, which would be a welcome sign for the new government.

The minister said the opposition should sit with the president and raise all demands like the appointment of a neutral and acceptable-to-all Chief Election Commissioner with much more powers that he has at present, independence of the judiciary, a neutral interim government capable of holding free and fair polls .

As for the leaders sitting abroad, Khakwani said, their parties would definitely be taking part in the elections. “Only two individuals would be left out of the process to face their cases. And since the country has an absolutely independent judiciary, they can get a fair trial”.

Answering a question, Khakwani said the proposed RTC should also work out a strategy to deal with a situation in case the elections could not be held on time because of the law and order situation or military action by ISAF forces from Afghanistan.

He said the agenda of the government to bring moderates to the forefront was being acclaimed by a majority of Pakistanis and all western countries having stakes in a stable Pakistan.

“The new setup will be a coalition of moderate individuals who are true representatives of their people and they will have to perform even better than the present government”.

Replying to another question, the minister said: “We have to be part of international community and face boldly the militancy at home. Otherwise we may become another Afghanistan”