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Musharraf reaches out to rivals Bhutto widower 'rejects PM role'
(about 3 hours later)
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has called for reconciliation after his opponents won parliamentary elections, but he has ruled out stepping down. The widower of assassinated Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto has ruled himself out as prime minister, despite his party's success at the election.
A foreign ministry statement quoted Mr Musharraf as saying the polls had strengthened moderate forces. Asif Ali Zardari said his PPP party would choose another candidate to lead a coalition government that opposition parties are expected to form.
It came as negotiations between the two main opposition parties intensified. President Pervez Musharraf has called for reconciliation after his party's defeat, but he ruled out stepping down.
Correspondents say the most likely coalition is between these two - the PPP, of murdered ex-PM Benazir Bhutto, and the PML-N of ex-PM Nawaz Sharif. He said the polls had strengthened moderate forces inside the country.
A union of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) with the PML-N would have more than half parliament's seats. Mr Zardari, a deeply divisive figure in Pakistani politics who has spent several years in prison on corruption charges, is not an MP and is therefore not currently eligible to serve as prime minister.
But there had been speculation that he might enter parliament via a by-election.
Forging a coalition
He was speaking as negotiations between the PPP and the other main opposition party, ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), intensified.
NATIONAL RESULTS SO FAR PPP (Bhutto's party) : 87PML-N (Nawaz Sharif): 66PML-Q: (pro-Musharraf) 39MQM (Sindh-based): 19ANP (Secular Pashtuns): 10MMA (Islamic alliance): 3Others: 34 Source: Election commission Can Musharraf survive?NATIONAL RESULTS SO FAR PPP (Bhutto's party) : 87PML-N (Nawaz Sharif): 66PML-Q: (pro-Musharraf) 39MQM (Sindh-based): 19ANP (Secular Pashtuns): 10MMA (Islamic alliance): 3Others: 34 Source: Election commission Can Musharraf survive?
The two leaders are due to meet on Thursday and correspondents say the most likely coalition is between the two, as they would have more than half of parliament's seats between them.
The main party backing President Musharraf suffered a heavy defeat, and correspondents say the president appears to be in a very difficult position.The main party backing President Musharraf suffered a heavy defeat, and correspondents say the president appears to be in a very difficult position.
If a new governing coalition manages to muster a two-thirds majority in parliament, it could call for Mr Musharraf to be impeached.If a new governing coalition manages to muster a two-thirds majority in parliament, it could call for Mr Musharraf to be impeached.
However, unofficial results suggest the two leading parties will not reach this total on their own, so would need to rely on support from other parties or independents. Mr Zardari told reporters in Peshawar that his party could work with the MQM, a Sindh-based regional party which supports Mr Musharraf.
EU monitors said polling had gone off "positively on the whole", but said conditions during the campaign were too favourable towards the ruling party. 'Moderates boosted'
'Harmonious coalition' Mr Sharif has urged Mr Musharraf to resign, and a PPP statement cited alleged remarks by the president that he would step down if the parties supporting him were defeated in elections.
Mr Sharif urged Mr Musharraf to resign, and a PPP statement cited alleged remarks by the president that he would step down if the parties supporting him were defeated in elections. Nawaz Sharif (centre) has called on Mr Musharraf to resign
Nawaz Sharif (centre) has called on Mr Musharraf to resignBut Mr Musharraf said that he would try to work with any new government. But Mr Musharraf said that he would try to work with any new government.
"The president emphasised the need for harmonious coalition in the interest of peaceful governance, development and progress of Pakistan," the foreign ministry statement said. "The president emphasised the need for harmonious coalition in the interest of peaceful governance, development and progress of Pakistan," he said in a statement released by the foreign ministry.
"The elections have strengthened the moderate forces in the country.""The elections have strengthened the moderate forces in the country."
In an earlier interview for the US newspaper the Wall Street Journal, Mr Musharraf said he would not resign or retire.In an earlier interview for the US newspaper the Wall Street Journal, Mr Musharraf said he would not resign or retire.
He was re-elected to the presidency last October, in a parliamentary vote boycotted by the opposition as unconstitutional.He was re-elected to the presidency last October, in a parliamentary vote boycotted by the opposition as unconstitutional.
He has been a major US ally in the "war on terror" but his popularity has waned at home amid accusations of authoritarianism and incompetence.He has been a major US ally in the "war on terror" but his popularity has waned at home amid accusations of authoritarianism and incompetence.
Alliance not guaranteedAlliance not guaranteed
At a press conference on Tuesday, Mrs Bhutto's widower and the PPP leader, Asif Ali Zardari, said his party would "form a government of national consensus which will take along every democratic force". Mr Zardari earlier said his party would "form a government of national consensus which will take along every democratic force".
HAVE YOUR SAYPerhaps Musharraf should leave Pakistan so that reforms can beginClifford PowerSend us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAYPerhaps Musharraf should leave Pakistan so that reforms can beginClifford PowerSend us your comments
"For now, the decision of the party is that we are not interested in any of those people who are part and parcel of the last government," he said, seemingly ruling out any coalition with the Pakistan Muslim League's pro-Musharraf wing, the PML-Q."For now, the decision of the party is that we are not interested in any of those people who are part and parcel of the last government," he said, seemingly ruling out any coalition with the Pakistan Muslim League's pro-Musharraf wing, the PML-Q.
With votes counted in 258 out of 272 constituencies, the PPP has won 87 seats, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan.With votes counted in 258 out of 272 constituencies, the PPP has won 87 seats, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The PML-N, or Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz, is in second place with 66 seats so far. The party's leader, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said earlier on Tuesday that he was prepared to discuss joining a coalition with Mr Zardari's party in order "to rid Pakistan of dictatorship forever". The PML-N is in second place with 66 seats so far.
Mr Sharif has said is prepared to discuss joining a coalition with Mr Zardari's party in order "to rid Pakistan of dictatorship forever".
But the BBC's Chris Morris in Islamabad says that, while a coalition between the two is the most likely option, there are certainly issues on which they disagree and there are no guarantees an alliance will emerge.But the BBC's Chris Morris in Islamabad says that, while a coalition between the two is the most likely option, there are certainly issues on which they disagree and there are no guarantees an alliance will emerge.