Decision to boost democratic process: President, PM

ISLAMABAD (Online) - President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have welcomed the court decision of acquitting former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the helicopter reference and said that the verdict would help in consolidating democracy in the country.
Presidential Spokesman Farhat Ullah Babar said President Asif Ali Zardari expressed the hope that the judgment pronounced by a division bench of the Lahore High Court would open avenues of politics for Nawaz Sharif who would play more effective role for stability of democracy and Parliament in the country.
The spokesman said President Zardari fully believed in reconciliation besides providing level playing field to all the political forces in the country. This decision of the court would play pivotal role for boosting democratic process in the country, he opined.
Congratulating Mian Nawaz Sharif on his exoneration in the helicopter reference, Prime Minister Gilani described the judicial decision as a good omen for democracy.
In his message he said the decision had proved that judiciary was fully independent in the country and government did not believe in interfering in the judicial matters. Nawaz Sharif is a great leader and he will play practical role for strengthening democracy and development of the country, he added.