ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said here on Monday that Pakistan has an immense potential to find its destined place “if we remain focussed and determined” to achieve excellence, advancement and prosperity, and that we do not get derailed again.

He observed this in his remarks at the Iftar dinner he hosted at the Aiwan-i-Sadr to bid farewell to the outgoing members of his cabinet.

“We have introduced a culture of honesty and meritocracy,” the president said adding, “for that reason, we are today much better placed to take strides towards advancement.”

Those present included members of the federal cabinet, provincial governors, chief justice of the Supreme Court, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, services chiefs, Chief Election Commissioner and the federal secretaries. Some former cabinet ministers were also present.

The president thanked the whole team of the outgoing members of his federal cabinet for their support and assistance for running the day-to-day affairs of the country, which had seen before Oct 1999 so much of decay and deterioration. The motherland, he said, was taken from the brink of disaster onto the road towards a take-off point.

“In these three years, which is too brief a period in a nation’s life, so much was achieved that every member of the team can rightly feel proud of,” he said.—APP