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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Musharraf bids farewell to troops | Musharraf bids farewell to troops |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| President Pervez Musharraf has visited the army headquarters to bid farewell to troops a day before he is due to stand down as head of Pakistan's army. | President Pervez Musharraf has visited the army headquarters to bid farewell to troops a day before he is due to stand down as head of Pakistan's army. |
| He will be sworn in as a civilian president on Thursday, his spokesman Rashid Qureshi says. | He will be sworn in as a civilian president on Thursday, his spokesman Rashid Qureshi says. |
| Gen Musharraf has been under intense international and domestic pressure to give up his military role. | Gen Musharraf has been under intense international and domestic pressure to give up his military role. |
| He seized power in a coup in 1999, deposing the civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. | He seized power in a coup in 1999, deposing the civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. |
| Colourful ceremony | Colourful ceremony |
| A guard of honour, composed of the army, navy and air force personnel greeted President Musharraf as he arrived at the armed forces headquarters in Rawalpindi, near the capital, Islamabad. | |
| A military band played martial tunes and the national anthem before troops marched past Gen Musharraf, who wore ceremonial dress decorated with medals and a green sash. | A military band played martial tunes and the national anthem before troops marched past Gen Musharraf, who wore ceremonial dress decorated with medals and a green sash. |
| Gen Musharraf's growing unpopularity is a cause for concern | Gen Musharraf's growing unpopularity is a cause for concern |
| After the ceremony, President Musharraf met senior commanders of the three services. | After the ceremony, President Musharraf met senior commanders of the three services. |
| "General Musharraf will make a series of farewell visits to various military headquarters on Tuesday and Wednesday," presidential spokesman Rashid Qureshi was quoted by news agency AFP as saying. | "General Musharraf will make a series of farewell visits to various military headquarters on Tuesday and Wednesday," presidential spokesman Rashid Qureshi was quoted by news agency AFP as saying. |
| On Wednesday he will be driven to the army's general headquarters to hand over his position as head of the army to his successor, Lt Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiani. | On Wednesday he will be driven to the army's general headquarters to hand over his position as head of the army to his successor, Lt Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiani. |
| Growing concern | Growing concern |
| Gen Musharraf designated Gen Kiani, a former head of the intelligence services, as his successor as army head in October. | Gen Musharraf designated Gen Kiani, a former head of the intelligence services, as his successor as army head in October. |
| The most serious pressure on President Musharraf to give up his uniform has come from the United States, his main international backer. | The most serious pressure on President Musharraf to give up his uniform has come from the United States, his main international backer. |
| Washington has grown concerned in recent months at the army's inability to rein in pro-Taleban militants and by Gen Musharraf's growing unpopularity. | Washington has grown concerned in recent months at the army's inability to rein in pro-Taleban militants and by Gen Musharraf's growing unpopularity. |
| It had been backing talks between President Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who heads the country's largest political party, for a power-sharing deal. | It had been backing talks between President Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who heads the country's largest political party, for a power-sharing deal. |
| As a civilian leader, President Musharraf would still have considerable powers, including the power to sack a civilian government. | |
| He imposed emergency rule on 3 November in order, he said, to rein in the judiciary and deal with a growing threat from Islamist militants. | |
| Thousands of political opponents were arrested, TV and radio news was banned and judges seen to be a threat to the government were sacked. | Thousands of political opponents were arrested, TV and radio news was banned and judges seen to be a threat to the government were sacked. |
| General elections are to be held on 9 January, but President Musharraf has yet to say when the emergency will be lifted. |