Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) will put an end to vindictive politics and corruption in the country. He said the ordinance was drafted in the spirit of national reconciliation and is not for a particular person or a party.
Shaukat Aziz said only those cases have been removed, which were either pending with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for lack of evidence or were from between 1988-1999, he told BBC in an interview.
He explained that the cases against Nawaz Sharif were decided in a court of law and to escape life imprisonment he left for Saudi Arabia under a 10-year agreement. Therefore, he added, these cases did not fall under the ambit of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and cannot be revoked.
Replying to a question if Washington had any role in the so-called deal with Benazir's home coming and the promulgation of the NRO, he said Pakistan does not frame laws on the request of any country.
"People of Pakistan will do what is best for them don't take them for granted."
He said the hallmark of his government has been the fight against corruption. "We have not benefited from the ordinance nor intend to benefit from it," he said. Pakistan, he added, has still a long way to go to combat corruption although its ranking has significantly improved in the Transparency International's most recent report.
Speaking about the tragic earthquake of 2005 whose second anniversary is being observed, he said the people of Pakistan and the government faced the tragedy with great courage.
"Our motto has been `build back better' and have so far constructed 600,000 houses in the quake struck areas." He said poor of the poor are building their own houses and the government has provided them funds to start small businesses to help earn a respectable living. Shaukat said compared to what was there before the earthquake and now after the reconstruction there is a sea change.
He lauded the international community for helping Pakistan raise over 6 billion dollars for the reconstruction and rehabilitation.