Musharraf: Pakistan's caretaker cabinet to take oath Friday

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- A new caretaker prime minister and cabinet members will take oath of office Friday as the present cabinet led by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz stands dissolved Thursday midnight at the completion of term of the National Assembly, said Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf here Thursday.

Musharraf will administer the oath to the new prime minister and the cabinet at the Aiwan-e-Sadr presidential palace Friday morning, according to the state-run APP news agency.

President General Pervez Musharraf speaks during a question and answer programme at The President's House in Islamabad. A new caretaker prime minister and cabinet members will take oath of office Friday. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Under the constitution, the new caretaker setup will supervise the general election that is likely to be held in the first week of January and will hand over the charge to the new prime minister and the cabinet.

However, Musharraf has not yet announced the setup of the new cabinet.

In his interactive session with a gathering of students, academicians, lawyers and businessmen in Islamabad Thursday on the topic of "Transition to Democracy", Musharraf said that he thwarted efforts to derail the democratic system and reemphasized the resolve to hold the general election in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Musharraf said that the Election Commission would fix a date for the general election in Pakistan.

Pakistani Punjab University students march as they shout slogans during a protest rally in Lahore. A new caretaker prime minister and cabinet members will take oath of office Friday. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

On the turmoil facing the country in the past few months, Musharraf said that some elements of the judiciary were in conflict with the executive and the legislative, paralyzing functioning of the government and causing chaos and uncertainty.

He said that he had to correct the conflict between the three pillars of state and bring harmony among them to combat extremism and terrorism.

About lifting of emergency he imposed on Nov. 3, Musharraf said that the leadership was looking into it and would see how long it was required in the country's interest.

Musharraf said that he had always taken decisions in the Pakistan's interest and never taken any dictation from anyone. He said that he would take the oath of office as the civilian president after the notification on the presidential election, remove the uniform and the country would complete its transition to full civilian dispensation.