ISLAMABAD, July 31: President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said the four pillars of the state — judiciary, legislative, executive and media — must learn to co-exist while remaining within their particular domain.

Speaking at the launching of revamped PTV channels here, the president said ‘these four pillars have to conduct their roles without fear or favour. They must exist in harmony with each other’.

Regarding the presidential reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, President Musharraf said it was his constitutional obligation to forward the reference to the Supreme Judicial Council.

He said he had always held the judges in highest esteem. “I accept the judgment of the judiciary and honour it.”

He said personal ego must not be a factor in matters of national interest. “Independence of judiciary is essential for the running of a government.”

The president said he had personal relations with the chief justice. “We had family ties and hope to maintain same harmonious ties in future.”

He said that he was never in favour of politicisation of the judiciary and decided all matters on merit.

The president said he believed in the freedom of judiciary and all the appointments in the superior judiciary during the past seven years were made on merit.

He called upon the media to expose terrorists and deny space to them for projecting their views. “The media must not convert terrorists into heroes,” he said.—APP