GILGIT, March 1: Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Nisar A. Memon said on Saturday that President Pervez Musharraf respected the public mandate and power would be transferred to the new government.

Addressing members of the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly, the minister warned that “the president is a symbol of federation and any bid to weaken him would (be) tantamount to destabilising the federation”.

He said that whichever group or party achieved majority in the National Assembly would be facilitated once the notification of the MNAs-elect was issued by the Election Commission.

Mr Memon said that President Musharraf had been democratically elected and he would hold the post for five years.

He said that government formation was an obligation of political parties and because no political party had won a clear majority, talks were under way between the political parties to achieve that target.

Hailing the consultations to form the government, he said that political leadership was taking the political process ahead in a responsible manner.—APP