Musharraf avers Army won't ever leave him in the lurch
5 Jul 2008, 1322 Hrs

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Karachi, July 5 (ANI): Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said that even seven months after resigning as the Army Chief, the country's powerful army was still behind him and will never leave him in the lurch.

He claimed that a few rumour mongers were spreading false reports that the Army had deserted him.

"The Army will never leave me alone. Those who said the armed forces are not with me are the worst hypocrites and rumour mongers," The News quoted Musharraf as saying at a dinner meeting of business leaders in Karachi last evening.

He said that though he enjoyed Army's backing, he was ready to quit Presidency depending his stepping down could resolve all of the country's problems, added the paper.

Musharraf rejected calls by Sharif and other opposition figures for him to quit as president. "I am not leaving Pakistan, I am not leaving the country to get a mansion in America or Turkey and why should I do this? I have committed no crime or sin," Musharraf said and added "But, I will take not a single day to resign when I see it will benefit the country and solve all of its problems."

Urging the newly-elected government to focus on political reconciliation and economic problems, he said, "if the flood of Talibanisation is not stopped the whole of Pakistan will see Red Mosques everywhere. We have to stop it." (ANI)