'PPP for Musharraf's re-election in uniform'

Lahore, Aug 1: All legislators of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will vote for the re-election of President Pervez Musharraf in uniform by the existing assemblies, instead of abstaining, claimed Minister of State for Information Technology Ishaq Khakwani.

The PPP would support President Musharraf in his re-election and then the General would give up his uniform before December 31, Khakwani said.

He said the two sides also agreed that the President's power to dissolve the National Assembly would be revoked through an amendment to the Constitution.

Khakwani also claimed that the PPP chief Benazir Bhutto would not move the Supreme Court against President Musharraf's re-election from the present assemblies in uniform.

Bhutto had agreed to extend full support to Musharraf during their reported meeting in Abu Dhabi, he said, adding both sides had agreed to help each other in the elections.

Earlier, Fazlur Rehman, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, said General Musharraf should be re-elected President in uniform for a second consecutive term to save Pakistan from another spell of martial law.

"I think once again we should all deliberate on this option to avoid a repeat of the East Pakistan tragedy (in 1971)," Rehman said.

Rehman, secretary general of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), Musharraf could impose martial law again if he failed to win political support for his re-election.

He said the support of the international community, particularly the United States, to Musharraf could embolden him to go ahead with this plan. "I think history should not repeat itself, and there should be no 1969-like marital law in the country," he said.

ANI

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