Musharraf has three options after quitting as Army Chief

President Pervez Musharraf is considering three options for relinquishing his office of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and appointing a new commander in his place.

Islamabad, Aug 30 : President Pervez Musharraf is considering three options for relinquishing his office of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and appointing a new commander in his place.

Sources said the first option under Musharraf's consideration is that he would immediately doff his military fatigues before his re-election and make public the appointment of a new army chief, who would take charge on October 7 this year.

The second option is that he would only make the announcement that he would leave the military office on November 15, as provided in the Constitution, after his re-election in the third week of September. At the same time, he would appoint the new COAS.

The third option is that Musharraf would make known that he would appoint the new Army Chief on October 7 and leave the office after that, and his re-election would be held without uniform after this date but before October 15.

Whatever option Musharraf chooses in the next few days, it would be precisely in accordance with the deal reached with Benazir Bhutto.

"However, one strong view in the presidential quarters is that Musharraf's re-election should be held as early as possible within the stipulated period, September 15-October 15," a source said.

Musharraf's legal advisers have made it clear during several rounds of in-house discussions that he can't hold an office of profit after November 15, if he wants to remain President following this cut-off date.

Sources said it would be fine with the presidential camp if the PPP's MPs, as per the deal, abstained during the voting for Musharraf's re-election.

"Our main concern is that they should not resign in any case as some other opposition parties would do," The News quoted a source, as saying.

Musharraf has very limited options at this difficult time and he is trying to get the best out of them. It is now inevitable that he can't remain in uniform, they said.

They admitted that Musharraf's aides have negotiated with Bhutto from a position of weakness.

"Had there been no March 9 blunder of filing the presidential reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Bhutto would have even agreed to re-elect Musharraf in uniform," sources added.

ANI