Musharraf pledges to quit army role

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-09-2007 13:34

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf addresses a National Security Council meeting in Islamabad in this image taken from TV, Thursday Nov. 8, 2007.  (AP Photo/PTV via AP Televison)

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has announced parliamentary elections will be held by mid-February, a month later than planned.

He made the announcement on Thursday after a meeting of the National Security Council. Musharraf also repeated his promise to quit as the army chief before taking a new oath as Pakistan's president.

The announcement is seen as an indication the current state of emergency in Pakistan will be short lived. Authorities will likely ease up on security restrictions to allow campaigning.

Pakistani riot police throws stones towards activists of the fundamentalist party Jamaat-i-Islami during an anti-Musharraf demonstration in Peshawar. (AFP/Tariq Mahmood)

Musharraf maintains restoring democracy is his ultimate aim. He claims emergency law is needed to prevent political instability, protect economic growth, and maintain the campaign against extremism and terrorism.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei