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Musharraf discusses

privatisation with

Sultan of Brunei

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf said here Sunday that he held talks on Saturday with the Sultan of Brunei on the process of privatisation in Pakistan, stating that he is determined to reduce country's debt burden by using 90 percent of the proceeds on debt retirement.

Addressing the Pakistani community here, Gen Musharraf said, his government, for the first time, in the history of the country, would slash its debt burden instead of increasing it.

He was warmly greeted by Pakistani children holding, small national flags and signing the national song "Jeeway-Jeeway Pakistan".

Two Pakistani children presented him a bouquet when he reached the International Convention Centre to address the Pakistani community.

Pakistan's Acting High Commissions here, Abdul Lateef and Deputy Foreign Minister of Brunei President of Pakistanis Association in Brunei received the Chief Executive accompanied by Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and Commerce Minister Razak Dawood and other members of the delegation.

The Chief executive said, the Sultan of Brunei and his Ministers were very cooperative and they understood Pakistan's problems.

The Sultan of Brunei and Education Minister have been invited by the Chief Executive to visit Pakistan at the earliest.

General Musharraf, in reply to a question stated that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would probe into different financial scams by various financial companies.

"I will look into it when I go back," he said.

In response to a question, he said, the government has already decided to set up one-point operation to solve the problems of the exporters.

In response to demand of the Pakistani community, General Musharraf said, he would look into the matter of operating a PIA flight to Bandar Seri Begawan.

To a question on the offshore drilling of oil and gas reserves in Pakistan the Chief Executive said, offshore drilling is already being carried at Gawadar and Pakistan had found it.

He told the Pakistani community here that "Pakistan is on the rise and it has the potential to rise."

Gen Musharraf expressed the confidence that if Pakistanis forge unity and utilise all their resources, they would not require any body's help from outside.

"We can rise to a level where a nuclear power of 140 million people deserves to be," he added.

Gen Musharraf said after the computerisation of census data, overseas Pakistanis will get Pakistan Origin Cards valid for their travel.

Once the Pakistani expatriates get these cards, they will not be required to get visas.

This task is being completed by National Data and Registration Authority (Nadra) which will also deliver one million computerised ID cards at the doorsteps people by July this year.

It is also preparing the electrol rolls to remove any chances of bogus voting, he added.ÑAPP