LAHORE, Feb 19: President Pervez Musharraf’s spokesman has said the new government will work smoothly no matter which party or parties formed it.

Major Gen (retd) Rashid Qureshi said on Tuesday the president would perform his functions within the limits set by the Constitution and there was no possibility of any friction.

Many people fear that a coalition formed by the PPP and the PML-N would not feel comfortable with Musharraf because of their differences on various issues.

Mr Qureshi said: “I personally heard Asif Ali Zardari when he said that he could work with President Musharraf.”

He said that while it was for the political parties to choose their coalition partners, he could say with a degree of certainty that there would be no confrontation between the president and the government.

The spokesman rejected demands that President Musharraf should quit after the defeat of the PML-Q in the general election. He said the demand had not been made by the PPP, the MQM or the PML-Q. He said the president had already been elected for a five-year term and there was no justification for demanding his resignation.

He criticised the elements who had been alleging that the elections would not be held or, if held, would be rigged to a large extent.

He claimed that Monday’s elections were the fairest and most transparent in the country’s history.

Baqir Sajjad Syed adds from Islamabad: President Musharraf has urged the winning political parties to work with other stakeholders amid growing concerns whether he would be able to stay in power after his opponents got a big win in the general elections.

President Musharraf was quoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement as telling a US Senate delegation that he hoped the new government would focus on the future.

The US Senate delegation comprising Senators Joseph Biden, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel, who were here to observe the polls, had called on the president at the Aiwan-e-Sadar.

Political analysts perceive the rout of Musharraf’s allies in the polls as a disapproval of his policies and growing public rage over inflation, food shortages and power cuts.

President Musharraf underlined the importance of a broad-based relationship between Pakistan and the US, based on commonality of interests and better understanding of the realities.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.