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Pakistan minister quits over Musharraf army role

A Pakistani cabinet minister has resigned in protest at President Pervez Musharraf's plan to remain army chief, state media said on Tuesday, in a further blow to the embattled military leader.

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ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani cabinet minister has resigned in protest at President Pervez Musharraf's plan to remain army chief, state media said on Tuesday, in a further blow to the embattled military leader.   

Ishaq Khan Khakwani, the Minister of State for Information Technology, also called for a process of national reconciliation involving opposition parties who are stepping up pressure on key US anti-terror ally Musharraf.   

"I took this decision because I think it will be in favour of President Pervez Musharraf that he contests the presidential election on the basis of his performance after shedding his uniform," state media quoted him as saying.   

Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless military coup in 1999, wants to be re-elected as president-in-uniform by the national and provincial parliaments between mid-September and mid-October.   

His opponents say this is unacceptable and would defy the constitution.   

Musharraf suffered a setback last week when the Supreme Court -- flexing its muscles after Musharraf's botched bid to sack Pakistan's chief justice -- said ex-premier Nawaz Sharif was allowed to return from exile.   

The general has reportedly sent senior aides to London to meet with another former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, amid speculation that they are trying to forge a power-sharing pact.   

Bhutto has publicly said however that she will not deal with Musharraf unless he sheds his uniform.   

Both Sharif and Bhutto say they intend to return to Pakistan to contest general elections that are due by early 2008.   

"I personally think that there should be a national consensus for a package deal among all mainstream political parties to draw a mechanism to go ahead and jointly work to further strengthen democratic institutions in the country," Khakwani said.   

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