Musharraf Defends Role as Army Chief

President Pervez Musharraf accused his political opponents of threatening democracy as he explained to the nation Thursday his decision to renege on a promise to step down as army chief.

In a televised address, Musharraf announced that he would continue to serve as Pakistan’s president and as head of the army, the source of much of his power. He had indicated this month that he would not give up his army post despite a pledge he made last year.

In his address, Musharraf said the opposition was trying to make an issue out of his decision to keep both posts.

“They are a minority, and the minority cannot be allowed to make a majority hostage,” he said.

“The constitution has given me the right to hold a dual role. The parliament and Senate have passed a bill in favor, so the opposition should accept the democratic decision,” he said.

Opposition leaders reacted angrily and pledged to continue to work to overthrow the military ruler.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim, the leader of the opposition Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and acting chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, said Musharraf’s action showed that he derived his strength from the military and not civilian society.

Musharraf “is a minority. A single person has held the entire nation hostage. Our struggle will continue till he resigns and goes back to the barracks,” Fahim said.

In December 2003, Musharraf reached a deal with the hard-line Islamic opposition to step down as army chief by the end of this year in exchange for its support in parliament. After he won a key vote, he said the group had broken the deal.

Siddiqul Farooq, a spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League, said that Musharraf, in backtracking on his promise to step down, showed he was a liar. “All his justifications for not giving up his uniform are false,” Farooq said.

Meanwhile, a coalition of Islamic parties, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, said it would protest Musharraf’s decision by holding demonstrations today.

On Thursday night, Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, left for the United Arab Emirates to meet her. Bhutto has been living in exile in Dubai and London since 1999. Zardari, who had served eight years of detention on corruption charges, was rearrested this month after his release on bail in November.