ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said on Thursday the overwhelming majority of Pakistan “is moderate, progressive and peace-loving and it must reign supreme.”

The president was talking to district Nazims from Punjab during a meeting here to discuss progress on implementation of the devolution plan.

The president said following the Sept 11 attack on US, Pakistan was confronted with the most difficult crisis after the 1971 war.

“Keeping in view the national interest, the government took a conscious decision to join international community in its fight against terrorism to demonstrate to the world that we are a responsible nation,” Musharraf said.

In the present situation, it is the duty of leaders at different levels and tiers to guide the people through these difficult times so that Pakistan stays on course, he maintained.

“In this context, you should know that during last three weeks of military operation in Afghanistan, not a single attack was carried out from Pakistan. All the attacks are being carried out from sea and other places outside Pakistan,” he said.

About devolution plan, the president said the government had replaced the centuries-old system with a democratic and progressive one by empowering people at the grass roots level.

“Therefore,” said Gen Musharraf, “it is an enormous task for you to ensure that the new institutional arrangement takes root and demonstrates visible changes in a way that people feel and notice them.”

The replacement of colonial system is aimed at transfer of power at the grass roots in real terms. There may be some problems but these should not hinder the progress,” the president said.

Under the new system, the government has given all financial and administrative powers to Nazims besides the overall supervision of police, he noted.

“It is now your responsibility to use these powers positively in the best interest of the people so that they can feel the change,” he said.

Since the new system is people-friendly, the government is establishing public safety commissions for police matters, conciliatory courts and minor offences courts to solve peoples problems, he said.

The Nazims are being provided financial resources while some have already been transferred to the district governments, the president said.

The president said he was proud of the leadership that emerged through the recent local bodies elections.

“You have the fullest support of the government. We expect you to deliver,” President Musharraf said.

The district Nazims supported the president’s decision to join international coalition.

“The decision, we believe, has been taken in the best national interest. We live among the people and know how supportive they are to the president’s standpoint,” they said.—APP