Under pressure from Pakistan's new coalition to step down, President Pervez Musharraf said his position is 'strong' and will not resign, as his allies backed him and challenged his political opponents to oust him.
Musharraf's optimism about continuing in office came amid an assertion by a top United States intelligence official that he faced the threat of being impeached although the two major coalition partners do not have the required numbers in Parliament.
Stating that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Nawaz Sharif had 'an agenda to impeach President Musharraf', Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnel said, "The Pakistan Peoples' Party and PML-N do not have the votes to do that (impeach), but if they had independents join them, they could possibly have the votes".
During his meeting with a delegation of leaders of the PML-Q, the party which backs him and was routed in the February 18 polls, Musharraf said he would continue to play his constitutional role as President, according to PML-Q sources.
The delegation was led by former premier Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Pervez Elahi, a close confidante of Musharraf, said.
"He (Musharraf) has been elected president for five years. He will remain president for five years," he said.
When asked whether Musharraf is considering resigning, Elahi said, "There is no such proposal. Neither is he considering it".
The meeting between Musharraf and the PML-Q delegation also took the view that the removal of the President's powers to dismiss an elected prime minister and dissolve parliament 'would not be accepted', the sources said.
The sources quoted Musharraf as saying that revocation of these powers would cause 'problems for the new Parliament'. The PML-N and PPP have indicated that they plan to strip the President of these powers.
PML-Q spokesman Tariq Azim meanwhile said he challenged Bhutto's and Sharif's parties to try to amend the constitution to take away Musharraf's power.
"If they do get two-thirds majority, it is up to them to bring in any amendment, but they don't have the majority yet," he said, adding, "There are many ifs and buts".
The ruling coalition needs a two-third majority in a House of 272 to successfully carry out any impeachment. The PPP (88) and PML-N (66) together have 154 seats. The Awami National Party which has 10 members and an unspecified number of independents have also extended support.
Without naming Musharraf, Nawaz Sharif said a person responsible for suspending and arresting serving judges, restricting the media and dissolving an elected government could not be 'a viable working partner' in government. His PML-N has said they will not be members in the new coalition government as long as Musharraf continues to be President.