President Musharraf has announced that the general elections for Parliament will be postponed from January until February. Meanwhile President Bush, and his primary opponents are all urging earlier elections, and that he comply with the constitution by resigning the post of Chief of Army Staff prior to the November 15th constitutional deadline. More at AP:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) – Pakistan’s parliamentary elections will he held by mid-February, a month later than planned, the country’s military ruler said Thursday, a day after President Bush urged him to hold the vote on time. Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto denounced President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s pledge as insufficient and said he should step down as army chief within a week.
With anger over military rule spreading, the United States and domestic opponents are stepping up pressure on Musharraf to end the emergency rule imposed Saturday, shed his uniform and hold elections as planned in January.
Bush, who counts Musharraf as a key ally in the war on terror, telephoned him Wednesday to say he should step down as the military chief and hold the vote on schedule.
Musharraf also floated rumors yesterday that the state of emergency would end within 2-3 weeks, but time will tell that tale.
