International

Pakistan's Musharraf Vows to Stay in Office

Published February 20, 2008 at 5:45 AM PST

This story was published more than 16 years ago.

Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, addresses supporters prior to a party meeting at his residence in Islamabad.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf vowed Wednesday to serve out his full five-year term, despite a resounding defeat for his ruling party during recent parliamentary elections.

Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, was not on the ballot, but the poll was widely seen as a referendum on his eight-year rule - including his alliance with the United States in the war on terrorist groups based in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.

Asked by The Wall Street Journal if he had considered resigning, Musharraf replied: "No, not yet. We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan."

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With the ballot count nearly complete, the parties of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif - the leader Musharraf ousted - had won enough seats to form a new government. They were expected, though, to fall short of the two-thirds needed to impeach Musharraf.

President Bush said Wednesday that he hoped the sweeping defeat of Musharraf's party won't end the Islamic nation's cooperation in fighting radical extremists.

"It's now time for the newly elected folks to show up and form their government," Bush said during a news conference in Ghana, the fourth of five nations he's visiting in Africa. "The question then is 'Will they be friends of the United States?' I certainly hope so."