Musharraf rejects calls to resign by opposition parties
Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf has rejected resignation calls
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Wednesday, 20, Feb 2008 08:47
Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf has rejected calls by opposition parties to resign following the results of the country's general election on Monday.
The parties of former prime minister Nawz Sharif and the assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto performed strongest in the polls and are expected to hold the biggest majority in the new parliament.
As a result the Pakistan People's party and PML-N party are in discussions to form a coalition and push the president out.
Despite the growing pressure Mr Musharraf told the Wall Street Journal that he had no plans on stepping down.
Asked whether he would resign as president he said: "No, not yet. We have to move forward in a way we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan."
In the interview published on the newspaper's website Mr Musharraf warned the incoming prime minister, whoever they may be, against any potential conflicts with him.
"The clash would be if the prime minister and president would be trying to get rid of each other. I only hope we would avoid these clashes," he said.
The US, with whom Mr Musharraf has been a key ally, backed up this view in a statement yesterday.
"Ultimately President Musharraf is still the president of Pakistan, and certainly we would hope that whoever becomes prime minister and winds up in charge of the new government would be able to work with him and with all other factions," US state department spokesman Tom Casey said.
Mr Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999, stepped down as head of the army last November after international pressure.