Musharraf has decided to shed Uniform?

'Musharraf has decided to shed uniform'
K J M Varma / PTI
Daily News and Analysis: May 18, 2007

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has reportedly decided to quit as Chief of Army and run for re-election as a civilian, a prominent politician of the ruling alliance has claimed.

But, Musharraf has declined to say anything specific on the issue in an interview to Aaj TV on Friday night. He said he would "cross the bridge" when he reaches there.

Japanese news agency Kyodo quoted a "prominent politician" in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) that Musharraf has decided to quit uniform and seek re-election as a civilian.

"I will take oath of president as a civilian," the politician, who met Musharraf more than once during the last fortnight, quoted him as saying, the news agency reported setting off a major speculation about him in the surcharged political crisis triggered by the suspension of the supreme court chief justice Iftikar M Chaudhry.

He also emphatically ruled out the return of exiled former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to the country before general elections due by the year-end.

"No, they cannot return before elections", Musharraf said in response to a question, adding that the issue could be discussed after the elections.

Musharraf argued that constitutionally he was entitled to hold the dual offices as President and Army Chief until the end of this year by virtue of a resolution endorsed by the National Assembly.

Asked whether he would be re-elected again by the existing assemblies, he said "I will not violate the constitution of Pakistan" and the constitution stipulated that President should be elected between September 15 and October 15.

"This is the constitution. I do understand what people are saying. I would not like to be in a position where people do not like me. If at all I feel that that is the case, I would like to even though it may be extra-constitutional adopt some method where I could get some legitimacy even beyond the elections," he said.

Commenting on a petition filed by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's (MMA) President Qazi Hussain Ahmed challenging his military uniform, Musharraf said that the Supreme Court is the right forum to decide the issue.

He said after failing to keep his promise to do off with the uniform he has learnt a lesson that in future promises should not be made.

Musharraf said that the promise of doing off the uniform with the MMA was only verbal but he had to break it when MMA made things worst.

He said that for the first time in his life he broke a promise and it was not easy for him.

Musharraf said that during his meeting with Chaudhry before sending the reference against him to the supreme court a few technical mistakes have been made, one which was that his photograph in uniform with the Chief Justice should not have been released to the media.

Musharraf said it was totally wrong that the Chief Justice was dragged by his hair when he tried to go to supreme court by walk on March 13.

He said even for him at times police put the hand on his head as get in to the car. It does not amount to dragging Chaudhry by his hair, he said.

Musharraf said that al Qaeda militants are present in Mir Ali and Waziristan and the action would be taken against them with the support of intelligence agencies.

He said moderate and extremist forces will come face to face in the next elections and the victory of moderate forces was of utmost importance for the country.

He said the extremism was not increasing in the country but the aggressiveness of extremist elements was on the rise, which had to be controlled at any cost.

He said al Qaeda extremists were hiding in the tribal areas and sending army to crush them is not advisable, but intelligence operations would be carried out against them.