ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali has expressed confidence that President Gen Pervez Musharraf will be able to obtain a vote of confidence from the electoral college without any problem.

Talking to newsmen in his chamber at the parliament house on Tuesday, the prime minister said that 72 votes were polled in favour of the 17th constitutional amendment in the upper house which was an encouraging sign.

Mr Jamali claimed the president would get more votes in the National Assembly and the Senate than cast in favour of the 17th amendment, and added that the provincial assemblies would also give him a vote of confidence with an overwhelming majority.

He said after the passage of the 17th amendment bill, the democratic process had been further strengthened and he would elaborate his future programme and policies at a news conference after the Saarc summit.

Responding to a query whether former prime minister Nawaz Sharif would be arrested on his return, Mr Jamali said he had made it clear on various occasions that there was no restriction on either Nawaz Sharif or Benazir Bhutto on their return. But they would have to face court on their return, he added. The prime minister said no one was above the law and the two former prime ministers did not enjoy any privilege when the question of enforcement of law arose.

When his attention was drawn towards non-implementation of the 7th wage board award for newspaper employees, the prime minister promised to extend his help in getting the award implemented. Mr Jamali also praised the print media, which, he said, printed various articles to guide the government during its one-year talks with the opposition on constitutional matters.