President dismisses speculations to quit
By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Presidential spokesman Rashid Qureshi has denied report in the British Sunday Telegraph that Pervez Musharraf was considering stepping down as president of Pakistan rather than waiting to be forced out by his victorious opponents. I think do not attach much credence to the report and nothing has been this sort in President Office, Rashid Qureshi while talking to a Chinese News Agency.
Qureshi said Musharraf had no role in government formation and it was up to the politicians to form governments. Pervez Musharraf is considering stepping down as President of Pakistan rather than waiting to be forced out by his victorious opponents, claimed by British Newspaper The Sunday Telegraph.
According to the newspaper, one close confidante said that the President believed he had run out of options after three of the main parties who triumphed in last week’s poll announced they would form a coalition government together, and also pledged to reinstate the country’s chief justice and 60 other judges sacked by Pervez Musharraf in November.
According to senior aides, Pervez Musharraf wants to avoid a power struggle with the newly elected parliament, in which his opponents will be close to the two-thirds majority needed to impeach him and remove him from office, the paper said.
“He may have made many mistakes, but he genuinely tried to build the country and he doesn’t want to destroy it just for the sake of his personal office,” said an official close to the president. Officials said he had considered resigning immediately after the election results were known, but had been persuaded by party loyalists that his sudden departure could precipitate a crisis.
Behind the scenes, his staff attempted to broker an agreement with Asif Zardari, who became leader of the main Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) following the assassination of his wife, Benazir Bhutto. Yet despite pressure from America, which has relied on Musharraf’s support for its war on terror, Asif Ali Zardari refused to strike a deal, claimed by the newspaper.
President Pervez Musharraf has said peaceful transition of power is his first priority adding he does not want politics of confrontation. He said this during his meeting with PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and former chief minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi who met him in presidential camp office Rawalpindi on Sunday. The prevailing political situation of the country came under discussion in the meeting.
President underscored the need for national reconciliation saying peaceful transition of power will be completed with the spirit of reconciliation. Chaudhry Shujaat apprised the president of future strategy of PML-Q adding PML-Q had decided to sit on opposition benches. It will play dynamic role in the parliament, he added. Shujaat told PML-Q respected people mandate saying majority parties should form government.
The spokesman for President of Pakistan has rejected the report of a British newspaper, Sunday Telegraph, that Pervez Musharraf was resigning, saying the story is baseless.Maj Gen (Rtd) Rashid Qureshi said the paper did not quote any person which makes the report doubtful.