ISLAMABAD, SEPT 19, SPA Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has categorically stated that corruption cases against former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will stay and the law will take its own course as nobody is above the law. Ms Bhutto s homecoming decision is her own and she will have to face cases pending against her in the courts, Aziz said in an interview to an Australian television channel. The prime minister said that the government was not having a deal with Ms Bhutto s Pakistan People s Party (PPP) and said it was a dialogue process for political reconciliation. We are talking to Ms Bhutto but don t intend to have a deal as such... ballot box will decide who forms the next government, Aziz said. He said the government was in communication with various political parties for political reconciliation and betterment of Pakistan. It will be good for Pakistan if all parties agree on certain basic national issues to take Pakistan forward. Replying to a question Aziz said Musharraf s continuation as president will ensure continuity of present policies. He said under Musharraf Pakistan will be able to meet various challenges, that it was facing, in a better way and take Pakistan forward. Musharraf, Aziz said, under the law can keep both the offices up to the end of the year and for this purpose necessary legislation was done in the parliament. It was the elected parliament which gave him this mandate. The prime minister said in order to sustain the achievements of the past performance by the government and its coalition partners, the cabinet has already decided that Musharraf will again be their candidate for presidency. About the situation in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Aziz said the root cause is the situation in Afghanistan due to which Pakistan was facing security challenges. He said the government has deployed more troops, police personnel and paramilitary forces to prevent cross border movement. Aziz said much more is needed to be done to improve the situation in Afghanistan like training of their police and armed forces for which Pakistan was ready to cooperate. They should patrol their side and we would patrol our side. But definitely they need more troops on their side. A stable Afghanistan, he added, was important for Pakistan as well as peace in the region. The prime minister said anyone challenging Pakistani forces will be fought back as the government cannot compromise its sovereignty at any cost. Our forces are fully capable of defending their country, he added. Aziz said if what is happening in Afghanistan spreads to other countries, it is not good for peace in the region. He said Pakistan as a responsible state will play its role and ensure that its territory is not used by elements for activities that are detrimental to peace in Pakistan or any other country.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/484032