Say goodbye

A newspaper report tells of President Musharraf holding consultations with his close friends on the issue of resignation. Under the circumstances, his departure from the political scene constitutes the only way out from the ongoing confrontation, which has generated uncertainties that have a debilitating impact on the economy and are diverting the government's attention from vital issues. There is a perception that the long session of talks the President had with COAS Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani also centred on the subject. Being a professional soldier, General Kayani is expected to have warned the President of the perils of confrontation with a popularly elected coalition government enjoying the support of a two-thirds majority in the combined Parliament. The people have widely welcomed a number of policies being pursued by the present government, including attempts to resolve the issue of militancy through talks, which have started producing positive results. Measures taken to control food shortages and to generate, within the next 18 months, enough electricity to bring to an end the all too frequent power shutdowns, have also been hailed. People want the government to pursue its economic and social agenda without hassle.