ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has claimed that the government has made no deal with the PPP and that the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) has been promulgated as a result of an understanding which he said would not end the role of the National Accountability Bureau.

Addressing a news conference in his parliament house chamber soon after the announcement of the unofficial result of the presidential election, the prime minister said the poll outcome had proved that lawmakers of the ruling party were very well disciplined and doubts created about them were misplaced.

“We have not entered into any deal with any party and its proof is that we will contest the next elections from the platform of PML, MQM, PPP (Sherpao) and PML (F), and this coalition will not be expanded,” the prime minister said.

Flanked by information minister Mohammad Ali Durrani and Minister of State Tariq Azeem, the prime minister said that overwhelming majority of votes (58 per cent) polled by President Musharraf showed that most of coalition lawmakers supported Gen Musharraf and it augured well for democracy in the country.

In reply to a question about petitions challenging the legitimacy of the presidential election, the prime minister said: “Though the case is sub-judice, one thing is very clear to everyone as to what the people of Pakistan desire.”

He congratulated the nation over the re-election of the president, the Election Commission on conducting the poll in an orderly way and lawmakers of coalition parties for supporting Gen Musharraf.

He regretted that the PPP, despite having fielded its candidate, abstained from the process while opposition parties disappointed everyone by resigning their assembly seats although its participation would have made no difference.

Answering a question about the National Reconciliation Ordinance, the prime minister said that no criminal case would be withdrawn without the recommendation of the review boards to be set up in federal and provincial capitals.

When asked if the said law would not bail out corrupt and criminal elements without trial, Mr Aziz said: “We believe in justice and oppose corruption”.