Islamabad, May 13: In an attempt to break a political standoff, Pakistan's military government has agreed that President Pervez Musharraf cannot be both president and Army Chief of Staff, a cabinet minister said today. Islamic hard-liners, who gained a powerful voice in Parliament following last October's general elections, have stymied proceedings in the legislature, demanding Musharraf choose to be either a civilian president or Army Chief of Staff. "President Musharraf agrees that he cannot keep the two offices. But a decision on when he leaves the army will take time," said information minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. "He cannot give a date for that."

Musharraf was made president for five years in a referendum held last year.

"The government and opposition have agreed that he cannot keep the two posts. He has to decide which post he leaves," said Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, a lawmaker with the six-party Islamic alliance that forms one of the largest opposition blocs in the National Assembly, or Lower House of Parliament.

A special committee of opposition and government members met late yesterday to try to break the 12-week-old political deadlock. They were to meet again today.
Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in October 1999, later appointed himself president through a referendum and also assumed sweeping powers, including the authority to dismiss the Parliament and prime minister.

Opposition parties have protested against the situation.

Bureau Report