NEW YORK, Nov 11: Gen Pervez Musharraf said here on Sunday that he would remain President of Pakistan, for the foreseeable future, beyond October 2002 election.

Appearing in the NBC news programme “Meet the Press,” Gen Musharraf held out an assurance that elections to national and provincial assemblies would be held as stipulated by him. But he said emphatically that he would remain President whatever the election result.

He said former prime minister Benazir Bhutto would be arrested if she returned to Pakistan. “She has to face the charges in the court of law,” he added.

MEETS KHATAMI: Pakistan and Iran have agreed to consider a joint strategy on Afghanistan and closely assess the current upheaval in the country.

This emerged after an hour-long meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session between President Gen Pervez Musharraf and President Mohammad Khatami on Saturday.