SWABI, April 21: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, Abbas Sarfaraz Khan has said that after the referendum Gen Musharraf will become a constitutionally-elected president of the country as the Supreme Court has already allowed him to continue till October 2002.

On April 30, the people would cast their vote in favour of Gen Musharraf to elect him for a five-year term, which would usher in a new era in Pakistan’s politics, he said while speaking at a public meeting at Tordher here on late Friday.

The minister said no ruler in the past had embarked upon an across-the-board accountability. He said in the past accountability process was used to victimise opposition members but in the on-going accountability process all corrupt elements irrespective of their political affiliation were being brought to book.

He said the accountability process would continue till the elimination of corruption from our society.

Due to corruption of the previous rulers the country was on the verge of bankruptcy and it’s image in the comity of nations had been tarnished, he claimed.

The minister said that with the efforts of the present government Pakistan had not only achieved a respectable place in the world but its economy was also put on track.

He said the government approach towards Afghanistan, terrorism and the core issue of Kashmir had proved fruitful and working for the peaceful settlement of Kashmir was the top priority of the government.

He said the IMF and the World Bank had expressed their willingness to extend assistance to Pakistan due to result-oriented economic policies of the government, while the former rulers had pushed the country into the quagmire of debt.