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ISLAMABAD, April 24 (Reuters) - Pakistan's main traders' organisation on Wednesday pledged full backing to military President Pervez Musharraf in his bid to remain in power for five more years through a controversial referendum.

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry gave the assurance at a business convention in Islamabad where Musharraf said he would try to meet their demands for tax concessions in the next budget in June.

"The business community feels the necessity to announce a unanimous vote of confidence in you today," federation president Iftikhar Ali Malik told Musharraf in a speech.

Musharraf has said he will not remain in power if he fails to win the controversial referendum on April 30.

Malik accused previous civilian governments of pursuing inconsistent economic policies and causing "political vibrations" which he said had harmed the business community.

"They (the business community) now hope that the sound economic policies initiated by the present government should be ensured for continuation as it will stabilise the national economy," he said.

Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless army coup in 1999, says he is seeking five more years as president to ensure the success of his economic and social reforms. Parliamentary elections are also due in October.

Pakistan's business community was previously considered the strong arm of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was toppled by Musharraf in a coup in 1999 coup and sent into exile in Saudi Arabia a year later.

Most of the country's political parties oppose the referendum saying the president must be elected by the future parliament and four provincial legislatures as laid down in the country's constitution and not by referendum.

But Musharraf says he is not violating the constitution, which allows him to hold a referendum on "important national issues". 

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