Musharraf, Bhutto reach deal ahead of prez poll

With a day to go for Pakistan's presidential election, President Pervez Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto reached an understanding that will facilitate the General's re-election in uniform and give the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chief amnesty from corruption charges to ensure her return to the country.

The draft "national reconciliation" agreement was agreed to by both sides late last night after hectic negotiations that saw the PPP suggesting several amendments to address its concerns including the holding of fair and transparent elections and the dropping of corruption charges against Bhutto who has been in self exile since 1999.

Opposition parties continued their efforts to undermine Musharraf's bid to get re-elected without giving up the post of army chief with 35 members belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami, PML-Nawaz and Awami National Party resigning from the NWFP provincial assembly today.

The members of the National Assembly, senate and four provincial assemblies will form the electoral college for the presidential poll tomorrow.

Eighty-six members of the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, and 78 members of the assemblies of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan had quit on October 2.

All the lawmakers who have quit are members of the newly formed All Parties Democratic Movement floated by exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Bhutto has said that PPP lawmakers will not resign though they will not vote for Musharraf in the presidential poll as part of the reconciliation deal thereby ensuring that the General will have the tacit support of her party. 

(Reporting by Rezaul H Laskar)