Relenting to mounting pressure to give up his uniform, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that he will quit the post of army chief after he is re-elected as president.
Ending the speculation about the president's future plans, his lawyer Sharifuddin Pirzda told a nine-member bench that he will give up his uniform before taking oath as president for a second term. The apex court bench, headed by Justice Rana Bhagwan Das, is hearing a slew of petitions against Musharraf holding dual offices.
"If elected for a second term, General Musharraf will relinquish charge of Chief of Army staff before taking oath," Pirzada told the bench.
The lawyer added that Musharraf will soon file his nomination papers to seek re-election.
Musharraf's undertaking to the apex court comes a day after his main ally, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q, said that it expects him to take oath as a civilian president.
It is to be seen whether the apex court bench allows Musharraf to contest the election while holding dual offices.
On Monday, Opposition parties had threatened to resign en-masse if Musharraf tries to seek re-election in uniform. Dissatisfied with the general's latest move, Pakistan Muslim League's Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said if he had decided to resign as army chief, he should do so right away.
Musharraf's term expires on November 15 but no election schedule has been announced by the Election Commission so far.
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who is slated to return to Pakistan on October 18 after nine years in self-exile, has insisted that a proposed power sharing deal with the general hinged on his quitting as army chief.
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