Lawyer: Musharraf to Leave Army Post if Re-elected

Gen. Pervez Musharraf's lawyer says that if the Pakistani president is re-elected, he'll resign his post as army chief. The BBC reports that Musharraf's chief lawyer, Sharifuddin Pirzada, told the country's Supreme Court, which is debating whether Musharraf has the right to remain head of the army while seeking another term, that the general would be sworn in as a civilian.

There has been growing opposition to amendments to the Pakistani constitution that allow Musharraf to head the government and the army at the same time. Several petitions before the Supreme Court are seeking to have him disqualified as a candidate. They also dispute the general's plan to seek re-election from the outgoing parliament and provincial lawmakers, arguing that general elections should come first.

In a move that complicated the issue, the country's Election Commission has ruled that Musharraf can run while still leading the army. But a decision by the Supreme Court (which has issued several rulings recently challenging Musharraf's administration) about the petitions would override the commission's ruling.

Thus the promise to step down from the army if re-elected. It may sound good, but Musharraf has made the same promise before. In 2002, he told the country's Islamic parties that, in return for a constitutional amendment legitimizing his 1999 coup, he would step down as army chief. He got the amendment but didn't resign.

So he may not be taken at his word alone. As they say, fool me once...

9:55 AM ET | 09-18-2007 | permalink