Faced with the opposition demand to step down to pave way for the formation of an interim gomernment in the wake of threat of war with India, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said that he wants to shed his powers which ought to rest entirely with an elected premier. “In fact, I now want to shed power. I wish there was an elected prime minister to take the crucial decisions that need to be taken at this juncture,” Musharraf told a meeting of editors and senior journalists in Islamabad on Wednesday. Mainstream opposition parties on Wednesday had boycotted a meeting called by him to discuss the Indo-Pak stand-off. Explaining his plans to bring a balance between the President, Prime Minister and army chief, Musharraf said that he was least interested in a figurehead prime minister and wanted a premier who wielded complete power to govern, daily 'Dawn' reported.
Musharraf on Wednesday reportedly sent pro-government politician and former president Farooq Leghari to persuade Jamat-e-Islami chief Qazi Ahmed Hussain to attend the all party conference.

Hussain, who refused to oblige, later told reporters, “We are fully aware of the developments and need no briefing as we also know that only we, the religious and political leadership, have to mobilise and motivate the people to get united in support of the armed forces.”
Ahmed said that vesting powers of President, chief executive and chief of staff in one person is dangerous for the country.
“If Musharraf was sincere to the nation, he must take steps to strengthen national institutions instead of his own power base,” he said.
Bureau Report