Musharraf indispensable for Pakistan: Shaukat Aziz

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said President Gen Pervez Musharraf is indispensable for sustaining Pakistans status and respect in international politics.

Islamabad, Aug.17 : Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said President Gen Pervez Musharraf is indispensable for sustaining Pakistan's status and respect in international politics.

"President Musharraf has played an important role in evolving Pakistan as a fast emerging country on the international scene. Now, he is recognised as an international figure," the Daily Times quoted Aziz as saying in an interaction with federal ministers, parliamentarians and a trade and industry delegation on Thursday.

He said President Musharraf would be re-elected from the sitting assemblies according to the law and Constitution, and confirmed that presidential elections would be held between September 15 and October 15.

Speaking to a group of PML and allied parties' parliamentarians at his Parliament House chamber in the afternoon, the prime minister said the government would welcome international observers to monitor the electoral process.

He said extremism was the major challenge facing the nation, and added that militancy and terrorism contravened the teachings of the Islamic faith and went against the values of civilised societies.

Pakistan's armed forces are fully capable of meeting any challenge, said Aziz, reiterating that no one would be allowed to violate Pakistan's sovereignty.

Aziz claimed that his government had brought about an economic turnaround in the country, creating thousands of jobs and improving standards of living. Efforts are being made to transfer the benefits of the high economic growth to the grassroots, he added.

Aziz directed parliamentarians to maintain the quorum in the assembly.

ANI