Musharraf says he will contest poll in uniform

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he would contest the presidential election in uniform, despite mounting political pressure not to do so.

Islamabad, Aug 31 : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he would contest the presidential election in uniform, despite mounting political pressure not to do so.

Musharraf told Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain, Sardar Farooq Leghari and Hamid Nasir Chattha of his intentions.

According to The News, Musharraf said he had not given any timeframe to Benazir on his intentions to doff his uniform, adding that whenever he made up his mind to take off his uniform, he would do so after consulting the PML and its allied parties.

"You should not worry about the ongoing dialogue with the PPP, as the ruling party will be given priority on every platform," the sources quoted Musharraf, as saying.

Musharraf further said that no proposal was under consideration for removing the Article 58(2)b from the Constitution, and there would be no legislation for removing the bar on third-time premiership.

However, the sources said that a proposal for giving political indemnity to all those who held public office from 1988 to November 2002 was under consideration.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is said to have advised Musharraf not to shed his uniform and to contest the election wearing it.

ANI