Lahore, June 19 (ANI): Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he will not resign from the Presidency and would continue to play his constitutional role (as the country's president) "to strengthen democracy in the country".

He said there was a constitutional provision for impeaching a President, and let the parliament make use of it.

Musharraf said this while speaking to senior journalists and columnists at the Presidential Camp Office in Rawalpindi.

He said he was a democrat and worked for democracy even when he was in uniform, and also defended his November 3, 2007 proclamation of emergency rule, reported the Daily Times.

Quoting sources, the paper added that the President also refuted the allegations made by the PML-N that he was conspiring against democracy.

On the occasion, Musharraf denied that he was responsible for the economic crisis, and said that instead "the previous government" was responsible for the same. He said his policies must be evaluated in the context of the circumstances at that time.

According to the report, Musharraf's meeting with the senior journalists was part of his efforts to "improve his image in the media".

Zardari, Nawaz fail to arrive at consensus on Musharraf's removal, judges' restoration

The difference of opinion between PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif over the issues of impeaching President Pervez Musharraf and judges' restoration, once again came to the fore last evening when a meeting between the two leaders failed to bear any fruit, with both sticking to their respective stands.

While Zardari was of the opinion that a move to impeach Musharaf should be avoided until a two-thirds majority was attained in both houses of Parliament, Nawaz insisted that the PPP-led coalition enjoyed such a majority in parliament.

According to the Daily Times, at the meeting held at Nawaz's Raiwind residence, Zardari appealed to the PML-N ministers to rejoin the federal cabinet, suggesting that it was in the national interest and essential to streamline the functions of governmental institutions.

Nawaz, however, maintained that his party members would not consider rejoining the federal cabinet "until the sacked judges were restored in accordance with the Murree Declaration".

Zardari also urged Nawaz to reconsider the constitutional package as a means of restoring the sacked judges, and said it would help to avoid many legal and constitutional complications. The PML-N chief said that his party was firm on their position to restore the judiciary to its pre-November 2, 2007 status through an executive order instead of the parliament.

But, both the leaders reiterated their resolve to keep the coalition intact. Sources privy to the meeting said that both leaders agreed that any break in the current coalition would harm the country and it should hence be maintained at all costs. (ANI)