Promising to hold the general elections next year as scheduled, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said he has no plans to dissolve Parliament and provincial assemblies before completion of their tenures.
"I had made a pledge to the nation that a better and real democratic system will be introduced in the country. This pledge is going to be fulfilled as Parliament will complete its tenure next year," Musharraf said during a visit to his Presidential office in the Parliament building.
During the visit, he met National Assembly Speaker Amir Hussain and some other Parliamentarians, including a few minority MPs like M P Bhandara. He assured them that the general elections would be held in the country on time.
The completion of assemblies' tenure would restore people's confidence in democratic institutions, Musharraf was quoted as saying by The Post newspaper.
Referring to the instances in the past when Parliament was not allowed to complete its tenure, he said the tradition of dissolution of assemblies after two or three years no longer existed. Musharraf claimed that democratic institutions flourished during his Presidency due to "friction-free atmosphere." The President's visit to Parliament was a rare event as he has addressed its combined session only once in the last four years.
As per the Constitution, he should formally address a combined session of the National Assembly and Senate every year. He last addressed the joint session of Parliament amid uproarious scenes in 2003. However, Musharraf visited his chambers in Parliament a few times in the past.