Musharraf to take oath as civilian President
Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf was to swear an oath for a five-year term as a civilian president on Thursday, a day after he stepped down as army chief in response to massive international pressure.
By Agencies |
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf was to swear an oath for a five-year term as a civilian president on Thursday, a day after he stepped down as army chief in response to massive international pressure.
But the United States and Pakistan's opposition parties continued to press Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999, to lift Emergency rule to pave the way for free and fair elections set for January 8.
Musharraf was to be sworn in by the country's top judge in a ceremony at the presidential palace in Islamabad, wearing a suit instead of the military uniform that he used to back up his regime for the past eight years.
"He will take the oath as a civilian president today," Musharraf's spokesman Rashid Qureshi said.
The oath will be administered by chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who was installed on November 3 when Musharraf declared a state of Emergency, sacked most of Pakistan's top judges and suspended the constitution.
Critics say Musharraf imposed the Emergency to rid the Supreme Court of hostile judges amid fears that they would rule that his victory in a presidential election on October 6 was illegal.
Musharraf's transition from military ruler to civilian leader has sparked speculation that he may lift the state of Emergency.
Pakistan's attorney general, Malik Muhammad Qayyum, said on Wednesday that Musharraf was set to end the Emergency "very soon", while private Dawn television said it would be lifted within 48 hours.
Musharraf was set to address the nation on Thursday after he was sworn in, Qureshi said. State media said the speech would be broadcast at 8:00 pm (1500 GMT).
But officials close to Musharraf said while he had mulled whether to scrap Emergency rule, which he said was a necessary response to a wave of Islamic militant attacks and a meddling judiciary, he was unlikely to do so now.
The Emergency has taken to a new level a political crisis that began when Musharraf in March first tried to sack the independent-minded former chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. He was finally removed on November 3.
Lawyers in the eastern city of Lahore said they would protest on Thursday against Musharraf's swearing in as president, the state of Emergency and his treatment of the judiciary.
As civilian president, Musharraf will have the power to dismiss the government but will face increased opposition from former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, both of whom recently returned from exile.
Bhutto said on Wednesday that Musharraf had met one of her key demands, but warned: "We are not in a hurry to accept Pervez Musharraf as a civilian president."
Musharraf, still a key ally in the US-led "war on terror", resigned as head of Pakistan's half-million strong military at an emotional ceremony on Wednesday, handing over command of the army to former spy chief Ashfaq Kiyani.
The move followed repeated demands from the international community for Musharraf to become a civilian leader of the nuclear-armed Islamic republic of 160 million people.
On Wednesday, the United States and Britain cautiously welcomed Musharraf's resignation as army chief but pushed him to end Emergency rule.
"In my judgement, in order to get Pakistan back on the road to democracy, he's got to suspend the emergency law before elections," US President George W Bush said in an interview.
The US leader however praised Musharraf as "an absolute reliable partner in dealing with extremists and radicals" and said he appreciated that Musharraf had "kept his word" by resigning as army chief.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called Musharraf's resignation from the army an "important part of the process" of restoring democracy but urged him to follow up by ensuring free and fair elections.
But the United States and Pakistan's opposition parties continued to press Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999, to lift Emergency rule to pave the way for free and fair elections set for January 8.
Musharraf was to be sworn in by the country's top judge in a ceremony at the presidential palace in Islamabad, wearing a suit instead of the military uniform that he used to back up his regime for the past eight years.
"He will take the oath as a civilian president today," Musharraf's spokesman Rashid Qureshi said.
The oath will be administered by chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who was installed on November 3 when Musharraf declared a state of Emergency, sacked most of Pakistan's top judges and suspended the constitution.
Critics say Musharraf imposed the Emergency to rid the Supreme Court of hostile judges amid fears that they would rule that his victory in a presidential election on October 6 was illegal.
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Musharraf's transition from military ruler to civilian leader has sparked speculation that he may lift the state of Emergency.
Pakistan's attorney general, Malik Muhammad Qayyum, said on Wednesday that Musharraf was set to end the Emergency "very soon", while private Dawn television said it would be lifted within 48 hours.
Musharraf was set to address the nation on Thursday after he was sworn in, Qureshi said. State media said the speech would be broadcast at 8:00 pm (1500 GMT).
But officials close to Musharraf said while he had mulled whether to scrap Emergency rule, which he said was a necessary response to a wave of Islamic militant attacks and a meddling judiciary, he was unlikely to do so now.
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The Emergency has taken to a new level a political crisis that began when Musharraf in March first tried to sack the independent-minded former chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. He was finally removed on November 3.
Lawyers in the eastern city of Lahore said they would protest on Thursday against Musharraf's swearing in as president, the state of Emergency and his treatment of the judiciary.
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As civilian president, Musharraf will have the power to dismiss the government but will face increased opposition from former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, both of whom recently returned from exile.
Bhutto said on Wednesday that Musharraf had met one of her key demands, but warned: "We are not in a hurry to accept Pervez Musharraf as a civilian president."
Musharraf, still a key ally in the US-led "war on terror", resigned as head of Pakistan's half-million strong military at an emotional ceremony on Wednesday, handing over command of the army to former spy chief Ashfaq Kiyani.
The move followed repeated demands from the international community for Musharraf to become a civilian leader of the nuclear-armed Islamic republic of 160 million people.
On Wednesday, the United States and Britain cautiously welcomed Musharraf's resignation as army chief but pushed him to end Emergency rule.
"In my judgement, in order to get Pakistan back on the road to democracy, he's got to suspend the emergency law before elections," US President George W Bush said in an interview.
The US leader however praised Musharraf as "an absolute reliable partner in dealing with extremists and radicals" and said he appreciated that Musharraf had "kept his word" by resigning as army chief.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called Musharraf's resignation from the army an "important part of the process" of restoring democracy but urged him to follow up by ensuring free and fair elections.
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