KARACHI, Dec 17: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has that the present assemblies would complete their tenure and general elections will be held in 2007.

"No one should have any misunderstanding in this regard," the president said while speaking at a gathering of senators, MNAs, MPAs and office-bearers and workers of the Pakistan Muslim League at the Chief Minister's House here on Friday.

The president said local government elections would be held next year in which everybody had the right to participate. The local government system was aimed at solving people's problems at the grassroots-level, he said and added that some bottlenecks found in the system would be removed.

He said the local government ordinance was being studied at relevant forums and the problem areas would be removed to ensure a smooth and friction-free operation of the system.

The president said that a decision would have to be taken soon for building new dams in the country keeping in view the larger national interest. He described the development works completed by the present government in Sindh and Balochistan as unprecedented. "Currently mega projects worth Rs133 billion were being implemented in the two provinces," he added.

The president especially mentioned Right Bank Outfall Drain, rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage, Left Bank Outfall Drain and the planned Sehwan Barrage with six canals and other projects.

He said the condition of Sukkur Barrage had become so perilous that he had to ask army for its rehabilitation. If the repair work had not been taken up immediately, the barrage would have suffered an irreparable loss

He recalled the destruction caused by torrential rains in Badin district last year and inundation of vast tracts of land due to breaches in the Left Bank Out fall Drain. When examined, he said, it was known that there had been designing defects in the drain and there, too, army had been engaged to rectify the faults and improve the system.

The president said all these projects were being carried out either by the centre or the army and were in addition to the development projects being executed by the Sindh government.

He said the elected representatives should bring these achievements to the knowledge of the people of Sindh. Referring to the threat of religious extremism, the president said the country would have to be made strong enough and moderate in order to lead the Muslim world.

He said certain elements in the opposition were carrying out a negative propaganda against the government and it was time that elected representatives should counter it by highlighting the achievements of the present set-up.

Earlier, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim spoke about the development projects being implemented in different parts of the province. He said that the Pakistan Muslim League had emerged as a strong and unified party. He hoped that the PML-F would join the unified Muslim League soon. - Agencies