Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf may renounce his position as head of the army in order to pave the way toward forming a coalition with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistani daily The Nation reported.
"The president has made up his mind over the uniform issue and will announce a decision about it at a proper time," Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid told the paper.
Pakistani officials confirmed Musharraf and Bhutto met last Friday in Abu Dhabi to discuss the formation of the coalition.
Bhutto gave several interviews on Sunday, where she neither confirmed nor denied the meeting. Nevertheless, Bhutto said several meetings were conducted between her PPP party and the government and that advances were achieved in several crucial matters.
Bhutto said the resignation of Musharraf from the army was a necessity if a coalition was to be formed. She also expressed her wish to become the country’s prime minister for the third time.
Musharraf will have to change a law which was legislated in 2003, according to which a person cannot serve three terms as premier.
If it materializes, the alliance between Bhutto and Musharraf would help the latter consolidate his power against the rising influence of Islamic radicals.