Parliament can 'restore' judges

ISLAMABAD-  President General (r) Pervez Musharraf will have no objection if the Parliament seeks to reinstate the deposed judges and that he will accept the decision, disclosed a source close to the President to Nawa-i-Waqt here on Friday. According to the source, neither is the President a hurdle in restoration of the deposed judges, nor is he hatching conspiracies in this regard. On a question about whether political parties were asking for resignation of the President, the source said that the President will not quit under pressure.  When asked for his comments about the ruling coalition's willingness to impeach the President, the source replied that a two-thirds majority was needed for impeachment of the President and that he can be impeached if he has violated the Constitution, but the Supreme Court has validated the steps taken on October 1999 and November 3, 2007.   The source added that some people had once predicted that the President would quit within 48 hours, but he is very much there despite the lapse of the said period.  When inquired about President's opinion regarding a possible commission on the Kargil issue, the source said that the President would welcome the move, adding that he has, in his book, published a picture showing then Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Raja Zafarul Haq, attending the briefing. It is therefore not true that Mian Nawaz Sharif was not taken into confidence on the issue, the source added. He, however, said that President would welcome if a commission on the issue were to be constituted under a judge. When asked about the relationship between President Musharraf and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani, the source informed that they enjoyed good relations and the President dined at Army Chief's residence last Monday and spent four hours there. The source said some elements wanted to create misunderstandings between the two. However, both meet each other quite frequently and exchange views on national interests. When asked whether the President was satisfied with the present government, the source informed that President was concerned over the deteriorating economic condition and decreasing foreign exchange reserves of the country. The exchange rate of the dollar, which was at Rs 60 in his era, had reached Rs 70, he added. When asked about the working relations between the President and the Prime Minister, the source revealed that Musharraf wanted good relations with the government. The source added the Prime Minister and Federal Ministers met President. However, they didn't seek his proposal in matters related to the working of government. Answering a query about the stance of the government on the war on terror, the source said that the government wanted to proceed the dialogue process without losing its control in troubled areas, as a weaker position could encourage militants. Replying to a query whether President was involved in hatching conspiracies against the government with his old allies, the source said President met with every politician who wanted to call on him, regardless of the fact whether he was from Treasury benches or from the Opposition. Answering whether the President took a U-turn over Kashmir issue and showed extra flexibility for India, the source disclosed the resolution of Kashmir issue was vital to better relations between India and Pakistan and the President didn't deviate from Pakistan's principled stance.