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Muhammad Najeeb in Islamabad
The Pakistani military government's plan to restore democracy and efforts to revive the economy are expected to be the highlights of President Pervez Musharraf's Independence Day speech on August 14.
The plan to restore democracy is being given the final touches and is expected to be unveiled on Tuesday when Musharraf addresses the newly elected district administrators and their deputies from all over the country, a senior official said.
Musharraf's address will also cover the diplomatic challenges faced by the country and steps taken to meet them, the official said.
On Tuesday, Musharraf will formally announce the functioning of district governments. Under the new law, local administrators will look after district affairs and the police and civil administration will work under them.
Another important feature of the presidential address will be the launch of mega projects, mainly in the fields of water and power development and communications.
It is also being speculated that elections to the provincial assemblies and the senate will be held in phases like the local government polls.
According to the official, the view that the president should seek an extension of the three-year timeframe given by the Supreme Court to restore democracy has been ruled out.
There is, however, no possibility of Musharraf stepping out of power earlier than that, the official said.
The new parliament will meet under a presidential form of government, with Musharraf as the president, the official said. Legal experts under the guidance of eminent jurist and Musharraf's legal aide Sharifuddin Pirzada are readying a package of constitutional amendments to create a presidential system.
Indo-Asian News Service
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