Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will remain the head of state even after his current tenure ends in 2007, information minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said on Wednesday.

"Musharraf will remain the president of Pakistan even after 2007," he told reporters in Lahore.

He said the next Parliament would give Musharraf a mandate to stay as president even after the next parliamentary elections to be held in 2007.

Asked whether Musharraf would be the right candidate to become President again, he said "there is no doubt that he
is a Presidential candidate after 2007 and he will be successful."

Ahmad made his comments a day after Musharraf met with senior leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q party.