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| Wednesday, 8 September 2004 |
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Musharraf: 96 percent of Pakistanis want me to remain army chief ISLAMABAD, Tuesday (AFP) President Pervez Musharraf Monday said the vast majority of Pakistanis wanted him to forget his pledge to quit the army to become a civilian ruler. "You should go and ask the people, 96 percent will say 'should not shed' the uniform," General Musharraf, who has held the dual posts of army chief and unelected president since June 2001, told Dubai-based private television channel ARYOne. Musharraf has agreed to give up his military uniform by December 31 under a deal with a powerful Islamic political alliance. In return, the Islamists supported a parliamentary vote to approve controversial changes to the constitution which empowered the president to sack the government and dissolve elected parliament. Musharraf said he would make his decision about stepping down from the military based on the constitution, popular demand and national stability. "On shedding the military uniform or not, I will take a decision according to the constitution," he said. "If there is need for my (being in) uniform, I will take a decision at that time." The constitution was amended after his pledge to include a clause stating that he would quit the army by 2004 and no longer hold two posts. Musharraf, said his government needed him in uniform because it was engaged in combating terrorism. On Sunday chief minister of the key province of Punjab Pervez Elahi asked Musharraf not to quit as army chief. "For national stability and prosperity as well as strengthening of democratic institutions, it is imperative that President General Pervez Musharraf should remain in uniform for five years," state media quoted Elahi as telling a party meeting on Sunday. |
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