ISLAMABAD, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- The National Reconciliation Ordinance, promulgated on Oct. 5, would promote a positive political atmosphere and bring to an end the politics of vendetta and victimization in the country, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted President General Pervez Musharraf as saying on Saturday.

    "After discussion with political leaders and my colleagues in the government, we decided to offer a general comfort to politicians for creating a better political atmosphere in the country," Musharraf said on Friday in an interview with a TV channel CNBC Pakistan, headquartered in the southern port city of Karachi.

    The era of 1988 to 1999 was full of vendetta and political confrontation, victimization and registration of cases against each other, Musharraf said, "We want to end this culture."

    "We decided to wind up those cases which were pending for the last 15 years and some of them were never initiated. This is the reason why we offered this pardon," Musharraf said.

    Musharraf clarified that the Ordinance was not party-specific but to promote an environment of reconciliation and a positive politics in the country. He pointed out that a committee had been formed to review the cases to determine whether they were genuine or not. The cases which were not genuine will be dropped while the genuine cases would be taken up for investigation.

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would be there and take fresh corruption cases with proper evidences, Musharraf said, adding that the NAB had played a big role by recovering a huge amount of money from politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, bankers and armed forces personnel. He noted that NAB had instilled a "fear of God" in the minds of high and mighty persons.

    He disclosed that the proposed parliamentary ethics committee, which was mentioned in the Ordinance, would keep strong check in the political victimization, if any, and ensure transparency in the election process.

    Independent media would also help investigate corruption cases and people would have its fear as well, according to Musharraf. He added that a system of checks and balances had been introduced in the country.