Musharraf Makes Himself Pakistan's President

26/03/2001| IslamWeb

[Musharaf, sworn-in as President, June, 20. Read photo caption below.]

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Military ruler General Pervez Musharraf had himself sworn in as Pakistan's new president on Wednesday, raising his official stature ahead of a summit in India but earning sharp criticism from opponents and Washington.
The chief justice of the Supreme Court administered the oath of office less than five hours after state media announced the figurehead president, Mohammad Rafiq Tarar, had been removed.
The formal role of head of state added new weight to the position of Musharraf, who had ruled only as ``chief executive'' since seizing power in a bloodless coup in October 1999.
``I, in all sincerity, think I have a role to play and I have a job to do here...so I will not let this nation down,'' Musharraf told officials and diplomats invited to the presidential palace for the ceremony.
``I have been thinking about this change for a number of months. It's one of the most difficult decisions I have taken; it was the most difficult decision because it involved myself.''
Pakistan's main political alliance opposing military rule called Musharraf's move a ``great tragedy.''
``This is another coup,'' Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, president of the 16-party Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, told a news conference in Lahore.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters: ''We are very concerned and we are very disappointed that Pakistan takes another turn away from democracy rather than, as we had hoped, a step toward democracy.''
``COUNTRY RULED BY DECREE''
He said the action ``severely undermines Pakistan's constitutional order and casts Pakistan as a country ruled by decree rather than by democratic process...''
And he said U.S. sanctions imposed because of Musharraf's military coup could not be lifted until a democratically elected government took office.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: ``There is bound to be widespread anxiety that this represents a setback in the transition to elected democracy.''
Pakistan's neighbor and arch-rival India, which has invited Musharraf to talks with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on July 14, said it would recognize his new role, although it offered no congratulations.
Musharraf said he would remain ``chief executive,'' overseeing the government and commanding the armed forces.
But the presidency gave him a formal constitutional status ahead of his talks in India, where some Pakistani politicians had questioned his authority to make any agreements.
Musharraf's move also reinforced his vow that reforms he has begun will not be scrapped with the return of a civilian government that he has promised by October 2002, in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling.
He also formally abolished the elected legislatures that he had suspended on ousting prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999.
``As far as the political process is concerned, there is no change whatsoever,'' said Musharraf, dressed in civilian clothes.
``Let there be no doubt...the Supreme Court decision of holding elections by October 2002, we will abide by that.''
A senior member of the government said Musharraf's move would give a ``sense of stability,'' adding: ``It shows consistency of policy and continuity of reforms.''
``REASSURANCE FOR INVESTORS''
Musharraf said that reassuring potential investors, who the heavily indebted country badly needs, about the future stability of Pakistan was one of his reasons for taking the presidency. His coup followed a decade of chaotic civilian rule.
But a Western diplomat in Islamabad said Musharraf must make a case for his legitimacy with his actions: ``What he says, how he presents it, will be vital.''
The military government had hinted strongly that Musharraf would become president upon restoration of civilian rule to enforce his vow that there would be no turning back on reforms.
The move to install him immediately appeared to be tied directly to the summit in India.
This will be the first such meeting between the arch-foes since he took power, and will focus on the 54-year-old dispute over whether Kashmir should be part of India or Pakistan.
India once expressed reluctance to deal with someone its media often call a ``military dictator.'' Musharraf was in charge of the military when heavy fighting between Indian and Pakistani forces broke out two years ago along the cease-fire line separating the two countries' forces in Kashmir.
India accused Musharraf of sending troops over the ``line of control.'' Pakistan has never admitted the incursion but the fighting ended after Washington put pressure on it to withdraw.
Foreign governments have pressed Musharraf for an early return to civilian rule, but his military administration has won international support for his efforts to set the nation's finances in order.
His government, which includes civilians in all key economic posts, unveiled a budget for the next July-June fiscal year on Monday that continued its tight fiscal policies to counter a mountainous public debt run up under previous governments.
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PHOTO CAPTION

Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf speaks after taking an official oath for the office of Pakistan's new president June 20, 2001, increasing his official stature ahead of his July 14 summit in India. Underlining the abrupt nature of the move, the chief justice of the Supreme Court administered the oath of office less than five hours after the state media announced the figurehead president, Mohammad Rafiq Tarar, had been removed. The assumption of the formal role of head of state added new legitimacy to the position of Musharraf, who had ruled only as 'chief executive' since seizing power in a bloodless October 1999 coup. (Reuters)
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