Mush under fire for holding two posts

PTI / May 1, 2007, 16:10 IST

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A US-based human rights watchdog has criticised Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for insisting on holding the office of army chief as also the presidency.

NEW YORK: A US-based human rights watchdog has criticised Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for insisting on holding the office of army chief as also the presidency, saying the country needs legitimate parliamentary and presidential polls to get back on the path of genuine democratic rule.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statement slammed Musharraf's decision to hold election for presidency before the general elections expected by the end of the year.
"He is doing so to ensure his own re-election as the president in uniform," it said adding that unless he ceases to be the army chief, the election for presidency would be illegal under the Constitution.
Under the Constitution the National Assembly, Senate and four provincial assemblies elect the president. In the current parliament, it said, a military-backed party holds the majority.

Therefore, the election before the general elections would ensure his re-election as president and continuation as army chief.
The tenure of the current assemblies is scheduled to expire in October. "Musharraf intends to bypass the democratic process once again by staging an illegal presidential election ahead of the parliamentary vote," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
"Pakistan needs legitimate parliamentary and presidential elections to get back on the path to genuine democratic rule.
Anything else would be a sham," he added.
Since taking power in a 1999 coup, Musharraf has remained as army chief and president, even though the Pakistani Constitution prohibits the chief of the army from holding political office.

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