|
ISLAMABAD, Nov 27 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday said the 17th Constitutional amendment will Insha Allah be done away with during the month of December. “We wanted to abolish the 17th amendment from the day one but we wanted to do it through unanimous decision, as the 1973 Constitution was also approved unanimously”, the President said in an interview with a private television channel “Express News” aired on Friday night.
During the interview, the excerpts
of which were also published by the ‘Daily Express’ newspaper Friday,
the President said he has indemnity and his eligibility cannot be
challenged in any court.
“According to our legal team, the President has indemnity and its eligibility cannot be challenged now,” President Zardari said.
About challenging his eligibility
as President, he said, his eligibility as candidate for the President
was not even challenged by his opponent candidates at the time of
election.
The President said Justice (Retd)
Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui and Mushahid Hussain Syed did not challenge his
eligibility before the election process.
President Zardari said Pakistan Peoples Party was always targeted even in the tenure of former President Musharraf and before.
He said the struggle by PPP leaders to reach Presidency from the chains (from jail) continued.
Commenting on the Balochistan
package, the President said it is a wonderful start for the development
of the province adding that complaints from some quarters can be there.
“The problems cannot be resolved in a year, but now there is intent, hope and clarity of thought [to address issues].”
The President said with the years
of injustice Balochistan was turning into a fault-line, adding, “I am
of PPP which has given this Balochistan-empowerment package”.
Replying to a question about former President Musharraf, he said, “Let the court decide about him (Musharraf)”.
Answering a question about the
investigation into the assassination of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto, he said, police, FIA, and other departments are investigating
the issue and the culprits will get punishment.
To a question about the
government’s foreign policy vis a vis relations with India, the
President said he desired to see an EU-like bloc in this region
involving Pakistan, China, India and other countries for the
socio-economic development in this part of world.
The President, however, added that
Pakistan with its 170 million population and having all resources
cannot be weakened by any one if “we are internally strong.”
About war against terrorism,
President Zardari said the failure of “peace deals” led to military
operation in Swat and Waziristan.
Similarly, he said, in the case of
Pak-US relations, it was the convergence of interests that put the two
countries together against the former Soviet Union, which attacked
Afghanistan some 30 years back with an objective to reach the warm
waters.
President Zardari said the United
States was thinking to review its policy on drone attacks, which will
enable Pakistan to secure the drone technology and launch such attacks
on its own.
Replying to a question about the
US-Taliban negotiations, he said, “We are getting this news through
media and Pakistan was not on board [on this issue].”
He said, “the war against terrorism is now being considered in Pakistan as its own war.”
About the alleged presence of
Mullah Umar in Karachi, Quetta or another city of Pakistan, the
President said the US has not provided any evidence to Pakistan in this
regard.
On Afghan situation, he said, peace in Afghanistan was in the vital interest of Pakistan.
Replying to another question, the
President said judges, witnesses and lawyers used to come from
Rawalpindi to Attock Jail for hearing of the cases filed against him.
He said, all those prisoners even serving life imprisonment along with him in the jail were released before him.
About the relations among
coalition partners, the President said ups and downs as well as the
difference of opinion among the coalition partners was part of
democracy, adding, however, “we want to take along all our allies
including the MQM and ANP”.
About the name of Pakhtoonkhawah for the NWFP, President Zardari said the nation will soon hear a good news in this regard.
President Zardari said he was thankful to Mian Nawaz Sharif, who had talked about stopping the way of non-democratic forces.
Zardari said, “I and Nawaz Sharif, both want to strengthen the democratic process in the country.”
On the issue of reinstatement of
judiciary, the President said, “if the judiciary has been restored on
the public pressure then I am also part of the masses”.
President Zardari said he wanted
the restoration of judiciary as a whole and not the reinstatement of
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry alone.
Commenting on the reinstatement of judiciary, the President said, “We are with the choice and voice of people.”
Replying to another question about
corruption charges against government, the President said with the
Public Accounts Committee led by the Leader of Opposition and in
presence of the independent judiciary everything will be open and clear
and the people will know the facts.
About media criticism, President
Zardari said with the influence of public relations companies and other
factors even the foreign media was not completely independent and
neutral.
Pakistani media will grow with the passage of time, he added.
Referring to criticism in the media, the President said, “We will exhibit tolerance in this regard.”
Regarding reservations of the MQM
about the future of the local governments, the President said final
decision in this regard will be taken by the Prime Minister and the
four chief ministers.
|
News 
