LAHORE, Sept 13: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and a number of his cabinet ministers said in separate statements in recent weeks that President Musharraf was under no constitutional obligation to hang up his uniform by the end of the year.

Then a few days ago, the president himself made a similar interpretation of the constitution, adding that 96 per cent of the electorate wanted to see him in his military dress. Apparently, there is no reason to disbelieve the president that he will retain both the hats.

And anyone who has the slightest doubt that he will quit as army chief under pressure from opposition parties, is undermining his credibility. He is regarded as a man of word and his past record shows that he has always honoured his commitment.

Still, the Punjab chapter of the PML, for unknown reasons, 'got worried' and launched a campaign that the president should not take off his uniform. A recent meeting of the provincial general council of the party adopted a resolution that the general should stay as army chief for at least five more years.

On Monday, the Punjab Assembly adopted a resolution, after noisy protests by opposition followed by a walkout, 'demanding' the president not to take off his uniform and instead retain both the offices simultaneously to sustain policies for economic stability and eradication of terrorism.

Praising the president for the policies he has been following, and which have served the national interests better, the house 'demanded' the president ignore the thinking of those wanting political anarchy or economic deterioration.

Interestingly, the resolution did not say how long should the president retain both offices, and kept the matter open-ended, although the PML general council resolution had proposed a five- year term.

The question is why the resolution was at all needed if the general was under no constitutional obligation to quit as army chief by Dec 31 - and he had also said he had no such plans. Similarly, why no timeframe has been mentioned for the uniform.

Perhaps, the ruling party has preferred not to set any time limit because Gen Musharraf's five-year term as president will be expiring in 2007 and a new half-a-decade proposal would mean asking him to stay till 2009.

Superfluous to point out that Gen Musharraf needs no sanction from anyone for his decisions. If he has to continue as army chief, he will stay on, irrespective of what political parties say. He banks more on support from the army, and so far the things are under his control.

Political support may be helpful for the office of the president, not the army chief. Maybe, the resolutions passed by the PML and the Punjab Assembly - an exercise to be followed by other legislatures - win these institutions a lease of life and the general allows them to complete their term.

The situation reminds one the Gen Zia period when an identical situation prevailed. Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur (late) was then defence minister and was required to approve extension of Gen Zia's service. On his recommendation Gen Zia, as president, used to extend his own service as army chief.

Mr Talpur once said that when he signed Gen Zia's extension, he, in fact, had signed his own extension as defence minister. Deputy Speaker Shaukat Mazari, who presided over the Monday session, twice caused serious embarrassment to the government.

When Law Minister Raja Basharat sought permission to relax the rules to present the pro-uniform resolution, Mr Mazari could not control the house. Opposition members shouting "no, no" made it difficult for the minister to read the resolution. However, he decided to read it despite noises.

Under the rules, when the minister was to read the resolution and the chair was to repeat it. But, a nervous Mazari read the whole resolution when the minister had completed only one paragraph.

Raja Basharat felt upset and he shared his feelings even with some of his colleagues. Mr Mazari put the treasury in a difficult situation for a second time when he said something on a constitutional matter which supported opposition's point of view.

PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah Khan argued that under the existing provisions of the constitution, Gen Musharraf could not hold two offices after Dec 31. "Provided the constitution is not amended", cut in the deputy speaker.

"This is exactly what I am arguing", said Rana Sanaullah, pleased at having been supported by the chair. Faces of some ministers fell on what Mr Mazari had said. They exchanged their feelings with one another.

However, the deputy speaker shortly realized the implication of his remarks and told the house that what he said was not a ruling.

He said there was no question of any violation of the constitution till Dec 31. "True, a new situation will arise if the constitution is amended", replied the PML-N leader. The PPP, the PML-N and the MMA showed complete unity in the Monday session.