Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf may step in and broker a deal with political parties to tide over a crisis even as influential religious parties have said that they would support him in a future government if he quit his post as the Army chief and ratify his position through a Constitutionally demanded election process.

"I believe the government could convene the session of the National Assembly, allowing the elected members to form a government themselves. Or, in case, there is a complete deadlock, President Musharraf could sit with the parties and broker a deal," Federal interior Minister, Moinuddin Haider has said.

"There is a possibility that President Musharraf feels it is in the interest of the country, to mediate and help the politicians form a stable government at any point in time, he might do the same. The political parties might also like to settle the issue in his presence at that juncture," he said.

On his recent remarks that the government could consider holding a re-election, he said, "It is a tall asking with huge money and a lot of effort and time involved. The elected people will have to sit together and come up with a political solution. Holding the elections frequently is quite hard, and is an extreme step."

About reports of a deal between the government and various political parties, he said that no such thing has taken place.

Meanwhile, the leader of the hardline six religious party alliance, Muthahida Majlis- e-Amal (MMA), Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said that his alliance would not accept Musharraf's Presidency unless he resigned as Chief of Army Staff (CAS).

PTI