SARGODHA, May 11: President General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday declared that exiled political leaders, including Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, would not be allowed to come back or participate in the general elections scheduled for 2007. Addressing a meeting of the ruling party parliamentarians and nazims and naib nazims from Sargodha, he said the local government system had been launched to bring about revolutionary changes in life of the common man and added that despite inherent flaws in it, the system had ensured a considerable change at the gross-roots level. It was for the first time that people witnessed record developments in their areas, he said.

The president announced that the local government elections would be completed by August 31, and said that the process would be initiated in July after the passage of the federal budget.

He said Pakistan had won the confidence of the international community and signed a contract with Japan under which technical institutions equipped with modern technology would be set up across the country.

He said a separate agreement had been signed with China for importing 400 duty-free items and exporting various Pakistani products, including citrus.

Gen Musharraf said the government would help 100,000 skilled people get jobs in brotherly countries and added that his efforts to present a moderate image of Pakistan at the international level had borne fruit. He pointed out that he was not against religious elements but he discouraged fanatics and extremists who had brought the country to the brink of destruction. He said the international community now considered Pakistan a moderate Muslim country having no soft corner for terrorists and was hopeful that this achievement would help the country prosper in all fields.

He announced the establishment of a medical college and an agriculture university in Sargodha as well as provision of natural gas to various localities in the city.

APP ADDS: The president visited various units of the Army Strategic Forces (ASF) where he was received by Lt-Gen Ghulam Mustafa, Commander of the ASF Command.