http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-pakistan-musharraf.html May 4, 2002 Pakistan's Musharraf Hopes to Be Golfing President By REUTERS
Filed at 6:26 a.m. ET ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's military President Pervez Musharraf promised to hand over ``the power to govern'' to an elected prime minister by October, joking on Saturday that he hoped to have more time to play tennis and golf.
Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, won a landslide victory in a controversial referendum on Tuesday to extend his rule for another five years, although independent observers say the vote was massively rigged in his favor.
He has promised to obey a Supreme Court ruling to hold parliamentary elections by October, and said an elected prime minister would have the freedom to govern the country on a day-to-day basis.
But he said he was seriously considering the idea of a National Security Council, which would have the power to dismiss a government, and provide what he calls ``checks and balances.''
"Power is the power to run a government,'' he told international journalists. ``The prime minister and the cabinet will have that power. The National Security Council... has the power to check misdoings.
"I am just going to relax and play tennis and golf,'' he said, "but I will not allow him (the prime minister) to run it badly.''
As president and chief of army staff, Musharraf will hold two key posts in the proposed National Security Council, but he denied that will be an unhealthy concentration of power.
PLACED IN POWER BY GOD, OR DESTINY
Rather, Musharraf says he is needed to make sure his economic, political and social reforms are not reversed, and to make the tough decisions that he believes politicians are incapable of making.
"God has placed me in this position to take these decisions,'' he said. "Since I have been placed in this position by destiny, I will take these decisions -- but I will ensure checks and balances on myself.''
Musharraf became a key U.S. ally after the September 11 attacks when he threw his weight behind the war on terror. Washington refrained from commenting on Tuesday's referendum.
Asked about his relationship with the U.S. government and Secretary of State Colin Powell, Musharraf replied, ``I think he's a good friend.'' he said. ``I don't think he'll be unhappy -- our friendship is above this.''
Musharraf won the referendum with 97 percent of the vote and a turnout of more than 70 percent, according to Electoral Commission figures. Political parties say turnout was nearer five percent, and a respected human rights group reported multiple voting and widespread stuffing of ballot boxes.
Musharraf strongly denied the allegations. He attributed the turnout to a large number of polling stations placed all around the country including at railway offices and public buildings. He also credited the result to local officials' efforts to encourage people to vote and to support from young people and women.
He promised to investigate any incidents of irregularities, but said he was sure they were not widespread.
"I would submit it was an exception, if at all it did happen,'' he said, referring to the stuffing of ballot boxes. ''In some places, maybe some idiot did it, but let's not take it as a rule.''
Now, he says he hopes the referendum result will swing ''fence-sitters'' onto his side, and encourage people to back ''pro-reform'' candidates in October.
Commentators say the tactic could backfire, with political parties more united than ever in their opposition to his rule and increasingly confident they would do well in a fair contest.
The army general displays a deep distrust of politicians -- especially exiled former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto -- and accuses both of them of sending money from abroad to destabilize the country.
But he promised to remove restrictions on political party activity -- they are currently banned from holding outdoor meetings -- at some point before the elections, although Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif will not be allowed to stand.
Musharraf has one other problem as he tries to cement his grip on power. Although the Supreme Court has given him the power to make essential amendments to the constitution, legal experts say any changes would still have to be ratified by a two-thirds majority in parliament, something he might struggle to muster.
"We will follow all constitutional measures to validate anything that we are doing,'' he promised. "I don't know if its a two-thirds majority or a simple majority, but we will cross that bridge when we reach it.''