Indo-Pak relations improved during Mush tenure: Durrani

Islamabad, Oct 13 (UNI) Pakistan took giant leaps in all fields and improved its global image during the tenure of President General Pervez Musharraf, a minister today said.

Talking to the mediapersons, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani said Pakistan's image improved at global level in the leadership of Gen Musharraf.

He said improvement of Pakistan's relations with India was another important milestone during the tenure of the President, who initiated a peace process with India.

Referring to the decisions taken after 9/11 and Pakistan's role in the war on terror, he said because to these timely and correct decisions, Pakistan achieved a distinctive and important position in the international community.

''Gen Musharraf took bold decision to strengthen the democratic process in the country. It is for the first time in the parliamentary history of the country that the assemblies are going to complete their tenures,'' he added.

The Minister said it goes to the credit of the President to hold local government elections twice in his tenure, while all the opponent political forces were free to play their role in the political process.

He said Gen Musharraf also encouraged the politics of reconciliation and allowed all the political parties to participate in the election process without any pressure.

The Information Minister said freedom of press and allowing the private TV channels was a great step taken by the President.

Despite stinging criticism on the government, not a single TV channel or newspaper was banned during the military ruler tenure, he added.

UNI