Exiled former prime minister and chairperson of Pakistan People's Party Benazir Bhutto will back President Pervez Musharraf's re-election bid only from the new National Assembly, a media report said in Islamabad on Friday.
'Bhutto has assured President Musharraf's aides that her party would support his re-election from the new National Assembly but will abstain if he sought re-election from the present Lower House,' The News reported, quoting a senior Pakistan Muslim League leader as saying.
However, according to the unnamed leader, Musharraf would get himself re-elected from the present Parliament and the general elections would be held as per schedule. After his re-election, Musharraf might doff his military uniform as a New Year gift in January.
He said that the government was also considering two options -- one to delay the elections by one year as provided by the Constitution and the other was to hold the election to the National Assembly before time and let the provincial assemblies remain in place.
Before Musharraf's re-election and the parliamentary polls, the government is likely to make two key military appointments in October this year. This would be of the Vice-Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, according to the daily.