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Benazir, Nawaz ‘enemies of democracy’: Musharraf

KALABAGH: Former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif acted like “enemies of democracy” during their two terms each and it is ironic that they have now signed a “charter of democracy”, President Gen Pervez Musharraf said on Saturday.

During their time in charge of Pakistan, personal interests were preferred to national interests, the president said. However, the current government is a well-wisher of the people and has always kept the national interest supreme, he said in an address to tribal chiefs at a reception here hosted by the Nawab of Kalabagh, Malik Asad Khan. It was a private visit, made on the invitation of Federal Minister for Women’s Development Sumera Malik.

Gen Musharraf said Pakistan has a bright future. “Pakistan is not what it was six years earlier. The performance of all institutions has improved. The economy has taken off. Democratic institutions are moving forward. The level of poverty and unemployment is dropping. The country is held in high esteem in the comity of nations,” he said.

The president reiterated that five major dams including Kalabagh Dam will be constructed by 2016 to overcome Pakistan’s water shortage. The foundation stone for Basha dam has been laid and efforts to develop consensus on Kalabagh dam have been stepped up, he said.

The government is spending billions of rupees on development projects, he said. This will help improve quality of life and create jobs. He urged the people to elect “good leadership” who could resolve their problems.

He said the government hade made a plan to combat inflation. “I am fully alive to the situation arising out of the price spiral. A strategy has been devised to deal with this situation,” he added.

The entire town of Kalabagh was sealed on the arrival of the president. Markets were closed. Army personnel took control of the town and sidelined the police. Army personnel were deployed in homes and surrounding hills. Online

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