President General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said smooth political change augurs well for the country and stated that the country has to attain higher standards in both good governance and politics for its sustained economic progress.
He was talking to a group of senior journalists at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
"In my view the political change augurs well for the future of the country, which has taken place smoothly and democratically," he said.
About the nomination of Shaukat Aziz, a technocrat, as the next Prime Minister, President Musharraf said he (Shaukat) has the capability to deal with the elected representatives harmoniously.
"He is an intelligent person and I have full confidence that he will maintain political contacts and run the government successfully".
Replying to a question about his meetings with members of the parliament, he asserted that he believes in consultations and not in intrigues.
"I do not believe in intrigues, I speak the truth, there was no conspiracy behind these meetings," he said.
He said the President is part of the parliament and he was seeking views of the MPs on different matters. The President replied in a categorical no that there was any pressure on the former Prime Minister.
"There was no pressure whatsoever on Jamali.
In response to another question he said, the decisions were taken by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and the change took place through the party's own consultative process.
Musharraf also clarified that the former Prime Minister was the choice of the PML and not his as he hardly knew him.
"He was nominated by the party".
The President said Shaukat Aziz has been nominated as a candidate for the premier-ship by PML President, Shujaat Hussain after consensus.
"Had Shaukat Aziz been nominated and no change in the government taken place, it would have created instability - but now with PML President being the Prime Minister, this would be a buffer period and there would be no instability".
Musharraf said Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali are onboard over the nomination of Shaukat Aziz for prime ministership.
He dismissed the impression that the change in the government has taken place in the wake of the first meeting of the National Security Council.
"The change in the government has nothing to do with this meeting, the NSC is a consultative forum and not a decision making body - its first meeting discussed only one-point agenda of internal security."
Asked about the absence of the Leader of the Opposition and the NWFP Chief Minister from the first meeting of the NSC, he said this body came into being as a result of majority vote of the parliament.
It is a compulsion to obey the laws passed by the parliament, those not obeying it are doing an unlawful act. He asserted that Chief Minster NWFP, being part of the government, should have attended the meeting and contributed in the discussion on internal security.
Replying to a question about water reservoirs, the President said a decision would be taken shortly, as the constituted committees would put up their recommendations and presentations on his return from abroad.
In the light of those presentations a decision on the construction of a large dam will be taken, he added.
The President strongly rejected allegations that Pakistan was rolling back the nuclear and missile programmes and disclosed that the country will go for another missile test in a few months.
President Musharraf expressed his concern over the kidnapping of Pakistani national Amjad Hafeez in Iraq and threat to his life.
He appealed to the kidnappers to listen to the anguish of his family and release him.
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