Islamabad: The 10-month old political stalemate gripping Pakistan over the legality of Pervez Musharraf's presidency deepened, with the General once again firmly refusing to accede to Opposition demand to set a date to step down as Army chief.

"If I give any date for becoming non-uniformed President, some people would start countdown. It would lead to destabilisation," he is reported to have told a meeting of the ruling pro-military Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) on August 18.

Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and other pro-Musharraf leaders attended the meeting.

In his address, Musharraf also said that the Legal Framework Order (LFO), which incorporated his controversial constitutional amendments and legalised his election as President through a referendum, would stay. He assured the ruling party MPs that he has no plans to dissolve the Parliament and four Provincial Assemblies despite the Opposition's agitation.

"The LFO is no more an issue, and the issue of uniform should be left to me for a final decision," he was quoted as saying by the media in Islamabad.

PTI