U.S. Plot Against Democracy, Musharraf Becomes President
Commenting on the report, a Pakistani residing in Tehran said, "It's a move of the United States and our nation will never tolerate it as such a move is against democracy."
"Since 1947, when Pakistan came into existence, the U.S. has had domination over the country and Pakistani rulers who were mostly from the armed forces served for the interest of U.S. imperialism and not the nation," the Pakistani who asked to be mentioned by his first name, Khatak said.
Musharraf poured cold water on the hopes of all Pakistanis who were dreaming for a democratic setup in the country, Khatak noted.
"The U.S. always dictates its imperialist policies on Pakistan and exploits the country in order to achieve its goals," he recalled.
"In Pakistan, first elections were held for the National Assembly in Dec. 1970. But political crisis led to separation of East Pakistan which is now called Bangladesh," he said, adding the U.S. had been passive whenever Pakistan needed its so-called friendly help.
"The U.S. engineered coup and after coup brought its own people in power," Khatak further said.
Wednesday's move, came less than a month before Musharraf is due to travel to India for a landmark summit on Kashmir, the disputed region which has been responsible for two of the three wars between the two countries, AFP said.
The general, who toppled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on October 12, 1999, replaced Mohammad Rafiq Tarar who had been president since January 1, 1998 and had been due to occupy the post until January 2003.
An official announcement added that a necessary amendment had been made in the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), promulgated by Musharraf after he suspended the Constitution and Parliament two days after the coup.
The general will retain the title of chief executive he assumed after taking power. He took oath of his office Wednesday evening. The oath administered by Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan.
The National Assembly (Lower House) and provincial legislatures have been dissolved and Tarar has ceased to hold the office of president with immediate effect, the announcement said.
Press reports said the assumption of presidency by Musharraf would enable him to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee as an equal in terms of civilian and constitutional authority.
Vajpayee issued a surprise invitation to Musharraf last month and the general will leave for New Delhi on July 14 for two days of discussions.
Officials said Musharraf had spoken to Vajpayee early on Wednesday and exchanged views on the forthcoming summit.
The summit will be the first after a two-year freeze in official contacts between Pakistan and India since a bloody border conflict in Kashmir's Kargil region in mid-1998.
Pakistan and India, who conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests in May 1998, remain at loggerheads over the Himalayan state, which is divided between them but claimed by both.
Pakistan's Supreme Court last year ordered Musharraf to restore parliamentary democracy before the third anniversary of his coup, which will be in October of next year.
The government has held three rounds of local council elections under Musharraf's promised transition to democracy. He has said the local elections, which are to be completed by August, will be followed by district and provincial polls leading up to general elections.
Musharraf has come under intense international pressure to announce a clearer road map for Pakistan's return to democracy. But so far he has refused to spell out when and how the general elections will be held.
Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar reiterated that Musharraf would abide by the Supreme Court order to hold elections in a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington on Tuesday.
Powell later told reporters he was "very encouraged" by Sattar's statement about Musharraf's plan for elections in 2002.