ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said here on Wednesday that formation of new government was the responsibility and privilege of parliamentarians, and as soon as they finalized everything, he would transfer the power immediately.

Presiding over a meeting of the federal cabinet, the president said he was not responsible for the delay in the formation of the new government.

He dispelled the impression that various government agencies were working to have the new prime minister of his choice.

The cabinet discussed at length the post-elections scenario and was told by the president that he was not interfering in the election of new prime minister.

He said it was absolutely wrong to say that he wanted certain political party or an alliance to form the new government.

He added that the future political setup would have to be decided by the elected representatives, and he and his government would remain neutral over the issue.

The president told his cabinet colleagues that he was not very much disturbed over the delay in the formation of new government including the nomination of the new prime minister.

Gen Musharraf had on Tuesday consulted his top military and civilian aides and discussed with them the political situation prevailing in the country.

Nonetheless, the president expressed the hope that political parties would keep the national interest supreme in deciding their future candidates, specially the prime minister and speaker of the National Assembly.

Sources said he made it clear that he would not allow the new government to undo his political and economic reforms agenda. “We hope the new government will continue the present foreign policy in the larger national interest,” the president was quoted as having told his colleagues.

He added that he had no plan to invite politicians to discuss with them the future political setup of the country. The president pointed out that he was there to act as a facilitator and would not nominate the prime minister as many people wrongly believed.

However, sources said, the cabinet was briefed about the political situation with special reference to the formation of national and provincial governments.

He said he had accepted the verdict of the people and would respect the decisions of the political parties about the formation of the new government.

Sources said the president was of the view that political parties specially Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) would take into account the internal and external situation carefully before deciding about the future political setup.

The president told the meeting that his government had introduced amendments in the Constitution in the larger national interest. He expressed the hope that the future government would not reject them.

He pointed out that elected representatives had a clear understanding of issues facing the country and they would like these to be addressed squarely by the elected government.

Chairman of the National Reconstruction Bureau, Tanvir Naqvi. also attended the meeting and presented his resignation which was accepted by the president.

However, the president asked Gen Naqvi to continue during the transition period.