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Musharraf to contest elections in uniform
Pervez Musharraf would seek re-election in military uniform and take a decision whether to quit as the country’s army chief only after the presidential polls slated for next month, a leading Pakistani daily reported on Friday. Musharraf made it clear to the ruling pakistan Muslim league leaders on Thursday that he would contest the electiion in uniform despite claims by ex-PM enazir Bhutto he had agreed to shed his army role as part of a power sharing deal, sources close to Musharraf told The News.
“Musharraf told the top league leaders that he has not given any time frame to the self exiled former prime minister on his intentions to shed his millitary uniform the presendent clearly stated that whenever he made up his mind to take off his uniform, he would take PML into confidence,” they said.
Responding to Bhutto’s claims on Thursday, Musharraf’s spokesperson Rashd Qureshi had said “the president would make all decisions only in national interest at appropriate times according to teh constitution” and rejected that the general was under pressure to doff his uniform before his reelection.
While the president believes in dialogue and deliberations on all important national issues, he never works under any pressure or ultimatum,” the spokesman said.
In a series of interviews, Bhutto claimed that most issues with Musharaf had until Friday to respond . “There are no ultimatums. but we need to know where we stand by then.”