Musharraf to be civilian president after quitting army role

GENERAL Pervez Musharraf will retire as chief of Pakistan’s army tomorrow, his aides announced yesterday, as the embattled president grappled with a political scene roiled by the return of an exiled former prime minister in time for crucial January elections.

He will take an oath of office as civilian president on Thursday after quitting as army chief, his spokesman said, giving the first official schedule for the end of military rule.

Top military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said Gen Musharraf, 64, would step down as army chief tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif, ousted by the 1999 coup that put Gen Musharraf in power, registered yesterday to run in the election although he didn’t drop his call for a boycott.

Mr Sharif appealed for support from Pakistanis unhappy with Gen Musharraf’s US alliance, portraying himself as a politician who kept himself at arm’s length from Washington in contrast to the US-friendly stance of the president and the other key opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto.

Even before Mr Sharif’s return, Gen Musharraf was under pressure from opposition forces and the US to end emergency rule he imposed three weeks ago in this nuclear-armed nation of 160 million people beset by Islamic militants.

America and its allies want Gen Musharraf to lift his suspension of the constitution to ensure a fair election, which they hope will produce a moderate government capable of standing up to religious extremists.

Gen Musharraf has eased the crackdown on dissent that saw police detain thousands of opponents and take independent TV news off air, and his aides announced yesterday he was ready to take the long-promised step of quitting his army post and ending direct military rule.

Gen Musharraf plans to promote his successor, General Ashfaq Kayani, to the military chief’s post tomorrow. The following day, “he will take oath of office as president of Pakistan as a civilian”.

Gen Musharraf suspended the constitution on November 3, saying he needed to stop the Supreme Court from creating political chaos and hampering the effort against militants.

Ms Bhutto’s spokesman said Gen Musharraf would be taking a step forward by shedding his uniform and if he made significant concessions “negotiations can be reopened”.