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ISLAMABAD, April 7 (AFP) - Pakistan opposition groups were mustering support Sunday for a mass boycott of General Pervez Musharraf's coming referendum on extending his presidency, as the military leader launched his own campaign.

A coalition of opposition parties pledged to defy a ban on public political assemblies to launch a series of spoiler rallies aimed at scuppering Musharraf's attempts to win backing in the referendum he announced Friday.

"We reject the extra-constitutional referendum and we have decided to boycott it," the head of the 15-party Alliance for Democratic Reform (ADR), Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, told reporters after a meeting in Islamabad.

"We will hold public rallies at the same venues as General Musharraf to present our point of view to the people of Pakistan.

"It is our basic right and the military government will have no right to stop us from doing so."

Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999 and made himself president last June, wants public approval to prolong his leadership by five years, insisting he needs more time to implement political and economic reforms.

The referendum is scheduled for the first week in May, ahead of general elections planned for October.

On Saturday, the president addressed hundreds of elected local government leaders, launching his own campaign to spur voters into backing him through the referendum.

"A positive vote will strengthen my hands and give me greater confidence to serve the country and the people," an official quoted him as saying at the gathering.

But the referendum has sparked widespread condemnation by political and religious groups who say the move is unconstitutional. The Commonwealth has also given it a cool response.

The Pakistan People's Party of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a leading member of the ARD coalition, has launched its own counter-campaign, attempting to rally opposition behind the slogan "go Musharraf go, no Musharraf no".

"In rejecting him through vote or boycott, as directed by the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, the people could turn the tables on the military dictator," Bhutto said in a statement.

The Pakistan Muslim League of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has pledged to boycott the vote, although a breakaway Muslim League faction of former cabinet ministers has announced its backing for Musharraf.

Both Sharif and Bhutto have been barred from Pakistani politics due to allegations of impropriety.

A separate coalition of Pakistan's main religious parties Sunday also vowed to boycott the referendum.

Some 5,000 supporters of the six party alliance, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (United Action Front), held a public meeting in the southern port city of Karachi to reject Musharraf's plan.

"We will boycott Musharraf's referenedum and I appeal to the people of Pakistan to stay home on the day of referendum," Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the head of the leading fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami, said.

Ahmed has already filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the move.

In Friday's 105-minute televised address, Musharraf outlined his far-reaching plans for Pakistan under which he pledged to create an "essence of democracy".

He also vowed to undertake sweeping constitutional reforms, creating a democratic system of "checks and balances" which he would oversee to prevent "impulsive" governments. 

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