Musharraf to take oath as civilian Prez on 29

Islamabad, Nov 26: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will take oath as civilian president on Thursday.

''He will take oath by Thursday after hanging off uniform,'' official sources told the sources, days after the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to notify victory of Gen Musharraf as returned candidate of the October 6 presidential election.

The court had dismissed all the six petition challenging Gen Musharraf's relection in uniform last week.

He will undertake two-day farewell visits to different military formations from tomorrow.

Meanwhile, an official notification by the Defence Ministry to relieve the president as the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) was expected either today or tomorrow.

The notification would come into effect when Gen Musharraf takes oath as the president of the country for another term of five years, The News reported.

Gen Musharraf, who assumed the slot of the Army Chief on October 7,1998, would be giving up his position after more than nine years, in favour of General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani who will become the 14th Army Chief.

The COAS is a tenure post of three years. Pakistan Army's first two chiefs were British and they were General Sir Frank Messervy (August 15, 1946 to February 10, 1948) and General Sir Douglas David Gracey (February 11, 1948 to January 16, 1951).

A farewell corps commanders meeting would also be held at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi on Wednesday. The achievements and efforts of Gen Musharraf in the service of the country and the armed forces would be highlighted in the conference.

He is the second Army chief after General Mirza Aslam Beg who had exclusive training of Special Services Group (SSG) as commando and had about one hundred freefall jumps that entitled him to a special colour.

UNI