The Hindu : International : Musharraf defends choice of Prime Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 02, 2004

International

International

Musharraf defends choice of Prime Minister

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JULY 1. Amid growing criticism over the choice of international banker-turned-politician, Shaukat Aziz, as the Prime Minister, the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, defended his capabilities and said that if Indians have accepted a renowned economist as their Prime Minister, what was the problem in Pakistan.

In a special appearance before a group of journalists on Wednesday night, Gen. Musharraf was at pains to emphasise that neither he nor the military had anything to do with the resignation of Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali or the choice of his successors.

But ironically, his wholesome praise of Mr. Aziz was seen in political circles as a calculated move to send a clear message to the ruling combine that the Prime Minister-in-waiting enjoyed his full confidence.

It was certainly not a coincidence that within hours after Gen. Musharraf's comments, the ruling party identified two constituencies from where Mr. Aziz would be fielded as a candidate for a seat in the National Assembly. Leaving nothing to chance, Mr. Aziz has decided to stand from one constituency in Punjab (Attock) and another from Sindh (Tharparkar).

Mr. Aziz also declared at a news conference that there was no truth in the propaganda about his religious credentials and that he was "100 per cent Muslim."

Gen. Musharraf's press show was essentially meant to counter criticism by the Opposition parties and large sections of the press accusing him and the military of a palace coup in the overthrow of Mr. Jamali. Opposition parties have charged that Gen. Musharraf had chosen Mr. Aziz to please the United States and the international financial institutions.

Defending the nomination of Mr. Aziz, Gen. Musharraf said he had the capability to deal with internal and external issues and hoped that the country would progress under his leadership.

He claimed that the members of the ruling combine were not against a technocrat Prime Minister, especially when the Indians also had accepted a renowned economist as their Prime Minister. "I strongly feel that Shaukat Aziz who earned great reputation as being one of the senior executives in the Citibank, would be a great asset for Pakistan and he has already proved it as the Finance Minister of the country," he added.

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