October 10, 2007	Wednesday	Ramazan 27, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that the National Reconciliation Ordinance will put an end to vindictive politics and corruption in the country.

He said that the ordinance was drafted in the spirit of national reconciliation and was not for a particular person or a party.

The prime minister said only those cases had been removed, which were either pending with the National Accountability Bureau for lack of evidence or were from between 1988-1999, he told BBC in an interview.

Aziz explained that the cases against Nawaz Sharif were decided in a court of law and to escape life imprisonment he left for Saudi Arabia under a 10-year agreement.

Therefore, he said, the cases did not fall under the ambit of reconciliation ordinance and could not be revoked.

Replying to a question, if Washington had any role in the so-called deal with Benazir’s home coming and the promulgation of the ordinance, he said Pakistan did not frame laws on the request of any country.—APP