July 17, 2008	Thursday	Rajab 13, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 16: Leader of the House in Senate Mian Raza Rabbani claimed on Wednesday that the PPP-led coalition government had introduced some changes in the policy relating to the war on terror that was a legacy of President Pervez Musharraf, but it appeared that world powers did not appreciate the move.

Mr Rabbani told this correspondent that the government had adopted Benazir Bhutto’s philosophy which envisaged a three-pronged strategy to dissuade people from terrorism and extremism –dialogue, economic development and selective use of force if utmost necessary.

According to him, “the powers that be do not see this change approvingly and are continuously opposing it”.

Mr Rabbani said that everything that was happening along the Pakistan-Afghan border, including threatening statements from Kabul were just a ‘storm in a teacup’.

Rejecting fears about a collapse of the coalition because of “differences of perceptions”, the PPP leader said that both the parties were sincere about resolving the judiciary issue.

He said there were people in the PPP, like in other parties, who favoured reinstatement of the deposed judges through an executive order, supported by a resolution in parliament.

“But there are others who are in majority who want the issue to be settled through a constitutional amendment.”

He denied that the National Reconciliation Ordinance was hindering the resolution of the judges’ issue. “Such reports are mere propaganda.”

Answering a question about the performance of the government, Mr Rabbani said that people had too many expectations of the new government but it was not possible to do much in such a short time.

He said the government was moving in the right direction and it had achieved “a lot in 100 days”.