Pak Prez Mush should ensure democracy: Report

Islamabad, June 3: Pakistan's powerful military has assured President Pervez Musharraf of its support but newspapers said today he should give up his post as army chief and hold free and fair elections.

The top brass on Friday reaffirmed its support for Musharraf, who is facing the most severe challenge to his rule since he seized power in 1999, triggered by his move to dismiss the country's top judge.

Referring to the dissent, the military, which has ruled the country for more than half its history, said it took serious note of ''the malicious campaign against institutions of the state, launched by vested interests and opportunists''.

Musharraf assured the army no one would be allowed to bring instability.

But the respected Dawn newspaper said nothing brought instability more than the absence of democracy.

''There is every possibility that President Musharraf may survive the present turmoil, but that will hardly give stability to the country,'' the newspaper said in an editorial headlined: ''Top brass to the rescue''.

''If President Musharraf and the generals are keen to give stability to Pakistan they should ensure the next general election is free and fair,'' it said.

Musharraf's attempt to dismiss Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on March 9 has galvanised opposition in the run-up to a presidential and general elections late this year.

Election Plans

Analysts believe Musharraf's main motive for seeking to replace the chief justice stemmed from doubts Chaudhry would support the president in the event of constitutional challenges to his re-election plans.

Musharraf will seek a second five-year term as president and aims to be re-elected by the sitting assemblies before they are dissolved in November ahead of general elections. Analysts suspect he also wants to remain army chief, although he should give up the dual role by the end of the year.

Dawn said the scenario was a recipe for instability.

Anti-government campaigners, including lawyers who support Chaudhry and the opposition, have criticised the army, which has led to the tightening of media rules aimed at stifling criticism and government legal action against the critics.

The News newspaper said in a commentary no one disputed the fact Pakistan needed a professional army but the army was coming in for criticism because the president was its chief.

''The greatest harm to the army is military rule. The miliary has nothing to do with politics and the army chief cannot be an exception... President General Musharraf must doff his uniform for the sake of the the army and for the sake of this country.'' Musharraf had to choose either to remain army chief or stand for re-election as a civilian candidate, it said.

The judge at the centre of the turmoil was greeted by tens of thousands of supporters when he travelled 60 km from Islamabad to the town of Abbottabad on Saturday.

Chaudhry has refrained from direct criticism of Musharraf or the army since he was dismissed but he hailed what he described as an endless struggle for the independence of the judiciary.

Aitzaz Ahsan, a lawyer defending Chaudhry against charges of misconduct, said a political military had to expect knocks: ''If you get involved in politics then you have to face criticism.''

Reuters

Related Stories