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Musharraf`s election plan meets suspicion in Pakistan
Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf`s plans to hold general elections in October next year, three years after his military coup, have been met with deep suspicion in a country versed in the promises of generals.
Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf's plans to hold general elections in October next year, three years after his military coup, have been met with deep suspicion in a country versed in the promises of generals.
Musharraf on Wednesday laid out his long-awaited "road map" for democracy in an Independence Day speech, promising to hand over power to civilian rule through elections from October one to 11 next year, a foreign news agency reported.
But analysts said his speech, while likely to ease some of the international pressure he has been under to announce an election date, has raised as many questions as it answered, chief of which is the role of Musharraf himself and the military in the new parliamentary set-up. Musharraf wore a white shalwar kameez and black vest during his speech. "He dressed like a politician and spoke like a populist. A political phase of the military regime has begun," political analyst Mushahid Hussain said.
Gone were the commando uniforms and berets of the military man, this was Musharraf, the political leader making his debut on the national stage. "It will be a quasi-parliamentary system in which power will rest with the president," said Professor of International Relations of Karachi University Moonis Ahmar.
"On one hand, Musharraf claimed he is giving powers to the people at the grassroots level, but he himself is holding all the powerful offices, including president, army chief and chief executive," he said.
Bureau Report
But analysts said his speech, while likely to ease some of the international pressure he has been under to announce an election date, has raised as many questions as it answered, chief of which is the role of Musharraf himself and the military in the new parliamentary set-up. Musharraf wore a white shalwar kameez and black vest during his speech. "He dressed like a politician and spoke like a populist. A political phase of the military regime has begun," political analyst Mushahid Hussain said.
Gone were the commando uniforms and berets of the military man, this was Musharraf, the political leader making his debut on the national stage. "It will be a quasi-parliamentary system in which power will rest with the president," said Professor of International Relations of Karachi University Moonis Ahmar.
"On one hand, Musharraf claimed he is giving powers to the people at the grassroots level, but he himself is holding all the powerful offices, including president, army chief and chief executive," he said.
Bureau Report