ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said that the government was not influencing any of the successful political parties on the future political setup.

Sources quoted the president as having told the cabinet that it was up to the successful parties to decide about everything and that the government would not interfere in their affairs.

The president said his job was to ensure a free, fair and transparent election for the transfer of power to the elected representatives. He refuted that his government had been supporting a certain political party before or after the elections.

According to an official announcement, the president described the holding of elections as the beginning of a new phase in the country, and hoped that it would herald a democratic order.

He expressed satisfaction over the fact that his government had fulfilled its promise by holding free and fair elections within the three years as mandated by the Supreme Court.

Commenting on incidents of violence and allegations and counter-allegations of rigging, the president said these were isolated, involving individuals, and added that the Election Commission was empowered to deal with them.

Gen Musharraf expressed the confidence that the elections results would be accepted by everyone in the true spirit of democracy. His administration, he said, would like the next governments at the federal and provincial levels to be established by the political parties in consultations among themselves.

He said he would ensure smooth transfer of power to the elected government as prescribed in the Constitution. But, he added, the future democratic government must ensure a harmonious inter-provincial and federal-provincial relationship in the larger interest of people.

The president told the cabinet that he had telephoned the heads of different political parties to congratulate them on their victory.

He said he was happy to note that all the leaders he had spoken to had expressed satisfaction over the fact that his government had lived up to its commitment of holding the elections.

Referring to the issue of the oath, the president said the law minister had already clarified that the elected representatives would take the oath under the 1973 Constitution. As there has been no amendment to the clauses relating to oaths for different offices prescribed in the Constitution, there was thus no room for any speculation or controversy on the subject, the president said.

DECISIONS: The cabinet approved, in principle, amendments to the Drugs Act 1976. The law provides for setting up of a pharmaceutical quality control authority.

The cabinet approved the Anti-Terrorism (Amendments) Ordinance, 2002, which stipulates additional measures to be incorporated in the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, with a view to combating terrorism and extremism comprehensively.

The cabinet approved the disbandment of the National Fisheries Developments Board. The functions of the board will stand transferred to the ministry of food and agriculture.