JHELUM, March 25: President Pervez Musharraf vowed on Saturday that elections would be held on schedule next year and said the government remained committed to the principles of empowerment and democracy.

Addressing a large public gathering at the inauguration of a kilometre long bridge linking the tehsils of Jhelum and Pind Dadan Khan, he said that democracy essentially meant “empowerment of people, progress for the country and freedom of expression”.

He said that the people of Pakistan had been politically and economically empowered at the grassroots level and the country was progressing in all spheres. “What else does democracy mean?” he asked.

Pointing out that the local government system had taken root with the completion of the first term, the president referred to the recent Senate elections and said the next general election would be held in 2007.

“This is the first time that the assemblies will be completing their constitutionally-mandated tenure,” he said.

President Musharraf said the government would continue to come down long and hard on all forms of terrorism and promised to expel terrorists and foreign elements who had taken sanctuary in parts of the NWFP.

“These terrorists will be driven out of Pakistan as their presence is not in the country’s interest.”

He also paid rich tributes to servicemen who had rendered great sacrifices for the country’s security.

Speaking about the situation in Balochistan, the president said there were “a couple of tribal chieftains who opposed development plans” because they did not want the common man to progress and prosper.

Since an overwhelming majority of people support the government’s initiatives for peace, security and development, he said, the government will establish the writ of law and bring about economic empowerment of the people.

According to him, a hefty sum of Rs140 billion has already been spent on development projects in the province.

He reiterated his resolve to build five major dams by the year 2016 and said the government was already in the process of lining 86,000 water courses across the country to save the precious resource from going to waste.

“Building water reservoirs is the need of the hour and I will not let Pakistan suffer on account of water shortage” he said.

He directed Sui Northern officials to ensure supply of natural gas to Dina, Sohawa and Mangla and promised that all villages would be provided electricity soon.

The president voiced support for plans to build a women’s degree college in Sohawa and a residential college in Jhelum.