Musharraf agrees to quit as army chief

7 September 2003, 18:00 PM

PTI, Islamabad

In a move that could resolve the 11-month old parliamentary crisis, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has reportedly agreed to Opposition's demand to quit as Chief of Army and submit his constitutional amendments to the parliament for ratification after necessary modification.

A committee of second rung leaders of the ruling PML-Q and the six party Islamist alliance Muthahid Majlis Amal (MMA) which held several rounds of talks to defuse the crisis announced in Lahore on Saturday that it reached a broad understanding to table the amendments, known as Legal Framework Order (LFO), in the National Assembly after necessary modifications.

It said proposed amendments would be presented to the parliament soon after a meeting of all parties to be convened by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali shortly. "Both the sides termed the outcome of the dialogue as a step towards a resolution of the problem," official news agency said.

A declaration which was released after the talks on Saturday said that an understanding has been reached on the separation of the office of President and Chief of Army, powers of President, retirement of judges and other contentious issues.

Government negotiator S M Jaffer said that Musharraf "in principle" has agreed that the posts of President and Chief of Army should not be held by one person and would discuss the date to relinquish the post of Army Chief in consultations with other parties.

Describing the outcome as a breakthrough, senior MMA leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed told a private TV channel that Musharraf "has agreed not to continue in the Army Chief's post beyond 2004".