Musharraf to step down as army chief
General Pervez Musharraf has agreed to step down as Army chief before the next presidential elections according to Benazir Bhutto paving the way for her return. She also said that corruption charges would be dropped against her and dozens of other lawmakers as part of the negotiations to restore civilian rule.
The Supreme Court has been playing an active role in challenging Musharraf's authority and in a string of reversals re-instated an activist judge, ruled that former PM Nawaz Sharif could return to Pakistan, and admitted a petition filed by Qazi Hussain Ahmad, head of the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, against Musharraf's dual role as president and military chief.
More details on the deal between Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto and encouraged by the US State Department which continues to play a low profile >>