Musharraf wants exiled Pakistan leaders to stay away

ISLAMABAD, Aug 11 (Reuters) Beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf wants exiled former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to stay away from Pakistan before forthcoming parliamentary elections, a cabinet minister said today.

Elections are due in Pakistan later this year or in early 2008.

Musharraf, who this week considered but rejected a proposal to impose emergency rule, told newspaper editors the return of the leaders of two mainstream political parties could stir political instability.

''Elections must be free and fair and all political parties should play their part in creating an environment conducive to such polls,'' Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani, who attended the meeting, told Reuters.

''The president said the political status quo should be maintained to avoid political instability,'' he said, referring to the exiled politicians' plans to return home.

By issuing executive decrees, Musharraf, who seized power in a military coup eight years ago, effectively blocked Bhutto and Sharif from returning and taking part in elections in 2002.

The absence of the two popular leaders paved the way for Musharraf's allies to come to power and created a political vacuum that hardline Islamic groups have filled.

Both exiled politicians have since vowed to return home before the elections as Musharraf's popularity has plummeted after his botched attempt to oust the chief justice in March.

With the chief justice reinstated, Musharraf also faces a Supreme Court that could now rule in favour of Bhutto's and Sharif's return.

Speculation has mounted in Pakistan that Musharraf, who is also army chief, is trying to forge a power-sharing deal with Bhutto.

Bhutto and Musharraf met secretly in Abu Dhabi last month but Bhutto has insisted that Musharraf should resign from the army to pave the way for any pact.

Sharif, ousted by Musharraf, petitioned the Supreme Court last week, seeking directives for the government to lift restrictions on his return.

US ally Musharraf is passing through the toughest patch of his rule. Reports swept across Pakistan on Wednesday that he was planning to impose emergency rule, a move that could delay elections for a year.

News reports suggested Musharraf could have justified the measure by citing growing insecurity caused by attacks of Islamist militants allied to al Qaeda and the Taliban.

But political observers believe the main reason would have been difficulty he is facing securing a second term in office.

Musharraf plans to seek re-election from the sitting assemblies, a move which his opponents deem illegal and have indicated they will challenge in the Supreme Court.

Durrani said Musharraf told editors there was a proposal for declaring emergency rule.

''But I didn't sign it,'' he quoted Musharraf as saying.

REUTERS LPB BST1907