Islamabad, Oct 8 : The Pakistan Government said that it had succeeded in dividing the Opposition by promulgating the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) that may have helped President Pervez Musharraf to remain in power for another five years.

"We wanted to gain political mileage from it (NRO), and we were successful because Musharraf got votes from all parts of the country," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Pakistan Muslim League (PML) President Shujaat Hussain told reporters.

The PML and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) played their own politics on the NRO, but the former succeeded in getting Musharraf re-elected, the Daily Times quoted Shujaat, as saying.

Aziz has rejected the possibility of a fresh promulgation of the NRO even if the Supreme Court strikes it down.

He said the promulgation of the ordinance was a difficult decision and there was opposition from within the ruling party, which was resolved after discussion.

The ordinance had a number of positive aspects, he added. (ANI)