President hints at Addressing Parliament.

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf on Monday hinted at addressing the joint session of parliament.

The indication came during his meeting with opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, who called on the president at the presidential camp office in Rawalpindi and discussed with him political and economic situation of the country besides other important issues.

According to sources, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi suggested to the president to address parliament to which the latter assured that he would review all the aspects of the issue. The sources said Pervaiz Elahi also briefed the president about the alleged political victimisation of opposition members of the Punjab Assembly, especially in the recent by-elections.

He also took up the issue of possible action of the Punjab government against the district governments as a day ago Nazims of different districts of the province had gathered in Lahore to convey their concerns over the Punjab government’s action against them.

Sources said the president assured the opposition leader that he would continue to support the local government system in the country, adding more efforts would be made to strengthen these institutions.

Sources quoted the president as saying that the district governments showed remarkable performance, adding any move to weaken them would only bring miseries to the people. The president also said that he would keep working to strengthen democracy in the country and there was no room for any martial law.

The sources said that Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi assured complete support of opposition parties to the president against any move to impeach him by the coalition government.

The former Punjab chief minister also briefed the president about the parliamentary business and role of the opposition in parliament that was praised by the president as positive. He asked the opposition to play more active and constructive role in parliament to strengthen democratic culture in the country.

Online adds: Well-placed sources told Online that during the meeting Pervaiz Elahi suggested to the president to address parliament, adding that it will be the government’s responsibility to maintain law and order in the House along with his security. He was of the view that it would make the president’s position strong.

SANA adds: According to sources, the president said pParliament has the right to impeach him and he would accept its decision.

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