LAHORE, Sept 24: Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan rejected on Friday Gen Pervaiz Musharraf's intentions to retain offices of both the president and the chief of the army staff, and announced that the party would start a campaign against him from Sept 26.

"In my view, he will not quit the COAS' office and we have convened a national conference in Islamabad on Sept 26 to launch an awareness campaign against Gen Musharraf and start organizing the party," he said.

Speaking at a news conference here, the PTI chief took exception to the resolutions adopted by Punjab and Sindh assemblies, supporting dual offices of the COAS and the president for Gen Musharraf. Those who did so were traitors and "Mir Sadiqs and Mir Jaffars," he alleged.

Imran Khan criticized the president for declaring in Washington that religious extremism and terrorism were increasing in Pakistan at a great speed and he was standing in its way. This was very dangerous for Pakistan as "you can make leaders your friends with such assertions but are making Americans consider Pakistanis as enemies." he said.

"Whether Vajpayee has ever said anything against the RSS or the Israeli prime minister against his country's extremism. As to what you can do when your own head of the state is making such statements for saving his office," he said.

Imran Khan said he would let the people know how the president was destroying national institutions in the name of the supreme national interest but in reality for serving his own interests.

There had been martial laws and extensions of military regimes, training of mujahideen by the CIA in the name of national interest. Now the mujahideen had been made terrorists and Pakistanis were being killed in Waziristan on the same pretext, he said.

Quoting a report by the Peshawar Bar Association, he said all those killed in Waziristan after Sept 11, 2001, were Pakistanis. Another 50,000 Pakistanis living in Waziristan had been made refugees and people were asking whether it was being done for national interests or those of the US.

He alleged that Gen Musharraf was taking all actions in the best interests of American president Bush, helping him win his next election. "Gen Musharraf is claiming to follow Charles de Gaulle without knowing that he was an elected leader of France and used to wear military uniform as a ritual only on national days," he said.

He regretted that after remaining in power for five years the president wanted to extend his rule. His claim that he was restoring real democracy after eliminating a sham democracy was proving wrong. He did not intend to transfer power to the people but extend the rule of army in the country, he alleged.

Imran Khan said his party would inform the people that it was in the best interests of the country to only strengthen national institutions, and that the prime minister should be the real chief executive and not a puppet of Gen Musharraf.

"We will also inform them that the election commission, the NAB and judiciary should be independent instead of punishing Yousaf Raza Gillani and giving key posts to the corrupt and ruffians.

It has also proved that the devolution of power is meant only to help the favourites win elections because of the role of district Nazims during the election of Shaukat Aziz," he said.

Replying to questions, he said the role of the opposition had not been much praiseworthy. The opposition stood divided, helping the president to establish his dictatorship in the country. "We will go alone but welcome any opposition party joining us," he said.

He said the MMA had made a mistake by supporting the 17th Amendment as it had helped Gen Musharraf legitimize his actions. "I will not talk against the opposition because it is the need of the hour to remain united against the president," he said.

Imran said he supported all those struggling against the president's desire to also retain the COAS office. "The president is going to face a tough time, for those supporting him would abandon him if he leaves the COAS office. And if not, all the opposition parties will join hands against him," he said. He said he would oppose within and outside the National Assembly any resolution favouring president's military uniform.