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New govt should continue ‘Pakistan first’ strategy, says Musharraf

By admin | March 20, 2008

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf said on Wednesday that the new government should meet the challenges of terrorism, energy shortage, and rising fuel and food prices through good governance and by keeping “Pakistan first”.

“Politicking has to give way to good governance,” the president said while addressing a farewell dinner for the caretaker cabinet and prime minister. “I am confident that the new government will consider Pakistan always first and counter the challenges it faces.”

He said the parliament should complete its five-year term and democratic institutions should work without any friction or confrontation. “The country will make progress if new leaders looked forward and worked together for development of the country,” he said.

He said the new government had several major issues to tackle and he wanted them to be able to resolve them. “I hope the new government will meet and understand these challenges and move Pakistan forward on the path of progress, peace and prosperity,” he said.

The president said the country had been through “turmoil” in the past few months and the new government must sustain the economic growth to meet the difficulties it faced. He said Pakistan’s macro-economic indicators were strong and the recent shortage of energy was caused by rapid industrial growth. He said growth in the energy sector should match the growth in economy.

He said he had fulfilled all the promises he had made to the nation and added that the elections were free and fair.

“It is for the first time that the parties who lost have accepted their defeat and are ready to play their role as opposition,” he said.

The president also congratulated the new members of the assembly and the new speaker and deputy speaker.

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