President’s uniform issue: PML hopes Musharraf will consult party

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) hopes that President General Pervez Musharraf will discuss the political impact of continuing with the uniform before December 31, 2004 with the leaders of the ruling coalition.

Senator Tariq Azeem, the PML information secretary, told Daily Times that the president would hopefully discuss the impact of the opposition’s public campaign on the uniform issue with PML leaders.

General Musharraf told a British newspaper that he would remain the chief of the army staff (COAS) till 2007. In his speech last year, he pledged to remove the uniform by December 31, 2004.

The PML leader said the government had cleared legal hurdles for Musharraf to occupy offices of the president and the COAS by passing the two-offices bill.

He said the president regularly consulted the ruling coalition’s politicians. “He is quite aware of our views. He will also take us into confidence if any issues arise in future.” He said the president would always have the option of removing the uniform anytime he likes. He claimed that the country’s economic situation had improved during Musharraf’s tenure. “People want him to remain in uniform because they want economic and political stability in their country,” he added.

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