MANGLA, Sept 30: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said here on Monday that the new prime minister would take the oath of his office under the Constitution and not under the Provisional Constitutional Order.

“The future prime minister of the country won’t need to take the oath of his office under the PCO but you would know the details about it gradually as the government is working on this issue,” he told reporters after having performed the ground breaking of the Mangla Dam raising project.

The president criticized the politicians who were claiming that the pre-poll rigging was being conducted by the government to benefit a certain political party.

“The allegations of rigging or pre-poll rigging are totally baseless and unfounded as the elections will be held in a most transparent manner,” he assured.

The president held the leaders of the two main political parties, who are living abroad, responsible for running the bogey of the pre-poll rigging.

“I am hearing about this issue of rigging or pre-poll rigging since 1987, therefore, I am not much bothered about it,” he said.

“These are the old traditions of some politicians to level allegations while sitting outside the country,” he said.

The president pointed out that international observers were monitoring the elections and the foreign media representatives were in the country to report freely.

In reply to a question, he said that Kashmir problem would have to be resolved. “We will get the Kashmir problem solved,” the president said, adding that Pakistan would never give up its stand on Kashmir.

When reminded of the threatening statements by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Gen Musharraf said that Pakistan cannot be pressured or coerced.

“If Mr Vajpayee uses harsh and threatening language we will use the same language...if they talk of peace we will also talk of peace, but nobody should take us for granted,” the president declared.

He said Pakistan did not have aggressive designs against any country and that he had always tried to improve ties with India. “But if the Indians want that this enmity should continue then we might be wishing the same.”

In reply to a question about the controversial Kalabagh dam, the president said that the huge hydro power project should have been built many years ago to remove the shortage of both water and electricity. At least, he added, successive governments should have forged a consensus for building the Bhasha dam.

“But, of course, for the time being, Kalabagh dam cannot be constructed as there is no consensus on it,” he said.

The president said that the country needed to have adequate water for agriculture. Similarly, he pointed out, there was a dire need for electricity which warranted urgent building of bigger hydro power projects.

Tariq Naqash adds: President Musharraf asked India to begin talks for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.

“Kashmir runs like blood in our veins. We cannot give it up. India should come to the negotiating table to hold meaningful talks for resolution of this long-running dispute,” he said while talking to reporters and earlier speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Mangla Dam.

He said India could not hoodwink the international community by conducting the farce elections in occupied Kashmir.

“We will continue to extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris’ legitimate struggle for freedom,” he declared. The president said he wanted to see Kashmir’s development and prosperity on a par with that of Pakistan.

“My foremost priority is to settle the Kashmir issue and end poverty. I wish and endeavour for bringing Pakistan to the ranks of developed nations,” he said.