Sunday, February 13 2005 20:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is among "the world's 10 worst dictators", figuring for the first time in a list prepared by a widely-circulated US magazine in consultation with human right groups.

Musharraf ranks seventh in the list issued by 'Parade' magazine, preceded by Kim Jong Il of North Korea, Omar al-Bashmir of Sudan, Than Shwe of Burma, Hu Jintao of China, Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Col Muammar al-Qaddafi of Libya.

He is followed by Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea.

President Fidel Castro of Cuba and King Mswati III of Swaziland had been among the ten worst dictators in the world last year but they are considered better than the 10 worst this year.

Musharraf figures in the "Ten Worst Dictators" in the world for the first time.

The list has been compiled by writer David Wallechinsky in consultation with Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders- human rights groups that "have not hesitated to expose the policies of dictatorships of both the left and the right."

"Two years after seizing power in a military coup that overthrew an elected Government, Pervez Musharraf appointed himself President of Pakistan. He recently agreed to step down as head of the military, then reversed his decision, claiming that he was best suited to unite Pakistan's contentious political and military elements," the report says about the Pakistani ruler.