Pakistan's ruling coalition leaders are expected to meet today to discuss replacing Pervez Musharraf, as a minister stressed that the government had not made an immunity deal with the embattled former president.

Pakistan has today successfully test-fired a short-range missile capable of carrying a nuclear device.

Pakistan's prime minister said this morning the government has no immediate plan to postpone January 8 elections following the killing of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

Pressure mounted on Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf tonight as a senior US envoy arrived to personally urge him to end the country's political crisis.