Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf has ruledout early elections in Pakistan, saying that democracy will return no soonerthan October 2002.
Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf has ruledout early elections in Pakistan, saying that democracy will return no soonerthan October 2002.
"This is my assurance that we will have an electedgovernment in place by October 2002... there should be no doubts about it,"Musharraf yesterday said, who declared himself President after dissolving thesuspended Parliament and four Provincial Assemblies earlier this month.
Musharraf, who is under tremendous pressure from theWestern countries to return the country to democracy, said his ascension to thePresidency is in the "national interest." "The internationalcommunity should understand that the question here is not to return the countryto democracy, but establishing democracy in Pakistan," and the governmentis moving in that direction, he said.
The government is holding municipality elections inphases which Musharraf says is the first step toward grass roots democracy. Theelections will be completed by August.
The military-led government plans to introduce properchecks and balances and division of power to block the way of military takeoverin the future, he said.
AP
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