Musharraf may put his popularity to the test

Pakistan’s military ruler, who is seeking to stay in power for five more years, is likely hold a referendum in October that could throw him out of office.

General Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, has been holding top-level meetings to muster support for a ballot reaffirming his rule, said Mohammed Ali Durrani of the Nation Party.