LAHORE, Aug 19: Defense Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal who belongs to the PPP Patriots said on Saturday the party’s role in the next general elections will be decided by President Gen Musharraf

Replying to questions after speaking at a Peoples Students Federation convention here at a local hotel, he said the president would also decide the number of assembly seats to be given to the PPP Patriots. The decision would be in party’s favour and it would accept it, he hoped.

He said the general elections would be held by the end of next year, and at present the Election Commission was preparing fresh electoral lists for the purpose.

To a question, Rao said the country’s armed forces would not disappoint the nation in case of any adventure by India.

Pakistan’s defense, he said, was strong and in safe hands, and there was no need to worry

He said Gen Musharraf had always tried to develop equality-based friendly relations with India, but it never reciprocated the attempts and, instead, continued leveling allegations against Islamabad. It was India which always adopted a negative attitude, he said.

Earlier, speaking at the convention, the minister said even if moved, the no-confidence motion against the prime minister would be defeated. The present assembly would complete its term and re-elect President Musharraf for another term with his uniform.

He said the opposition must abandon its `non-political’ attitude and instead start supporting the present government’s policies, which, he added, had given economic stability to the country.

The minister said after the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto the country got a sagacious leader in the shape of President Musharraf, who, he said, was leading the country towards economic and political stability.

He said some negative elements were opposing the president’s uniform, but they should not forget that the country was witnessing political and economic progress only because of the same.

Urging the youth’s role in the country’s progress, he said they had also contributed in a major way to the Pakistan Movement.

The minister said the PSF convention was the beginning of his party’s election campaign.

Punjab Environment Minister Makhdoom Ashfaq, and MNAs Zaheer Abbas Khokher and Chaudhry Imran Masood also spoke on the occasion.