Islamabad: The cabinet yesterday unanimously endorsed President General Pervez Musharraf's plan to seek re-election from the current parliament and provincial assemblies.
A cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz unanimously decided that re-election of the president was "essential for the country's stability, security and growth," an official statement said.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and its allies have a majority in the electoral college. Around 700 federal and provincial lawmakers will elect the president.
Federal Railway Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad, however, linked the holding of the presidential poll before the general elections to an understanding with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP).
He told a news conference in Lahore that the general election could be held before the presidential election if an understanding was not reached with the PPP.
Negotiations 'stalled'
PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain told a private channel that negotiations with the PPP were almost stalled.
The Election Commission has not yet announced a schedule for the presidential election but its official said it was likely to do so in a matter of days.
Musharraf himself has repeatedly stated that the presidential election would be held between September 15 and October 15 in keeping with the constitution.
In view of the cabinet decision, Musharraf is now expected to seek re-election in uniform.
PML leaders have said that an Act passed in 2004 authorises Musharraf to retain the post of army chief until the end of the current year.
According to them, the president would himself take a decision on when to shed the uniform in accordance with the constitution.
Shaikh Rashid said the PML had sufficient votes to re-elect Musharraf but was seeking the support of other parties to ensure credibility of the election.
He said that, if Musharraf so desired, he could seek re-election by the new assemblies instead of the existing ones, whose term expires on November 15 along with the current tenure of the president.
