Washington: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he is not planning to resign or retire despite his allies suffering a crushing defeat in the general election and asserted that he intends to stay in office to guide the democratic transition in the country.

A day after pro-Musharraf PML-Q was hammered at the hustings, the former military ruler told The Wall Street Journal he is neither contemplating retirement nor resigning.

"No, not yet. We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan," he said adding, he is even prepared to work with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was accused by Musharraf at one time of trying to kill him.

"We are running a parliamentary system. The government is run by the Prime Minister. The President has no mandate to share governing power with the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister runs the government. The President has his own position but has no authority running the government."

"The clash would be if the Prime Minister and President would be trying to get rid of each other. I only hope we would avoid these clashes," Musharraf maintained.

Musharraf also made it known that there was no possible way in which the sacked Chief Justice of the Pakistan Supreme Court and other deposed judges could be brought back.

"Legally there's no way this can be done. I can't even imagine how this is doable," he said.

The Pakistani President said he has not met either Sharif, the chief of PML-N, or Asif Ali Zardari of the Pakistan People's Party since the election.

"I am not heading a political party. Let the political parties meet with each other and form a coalition," Musharraf said.
Source : PTI