ISLAMABAD, Feb 25: A human rights group on Saturday urged the US president to use his visit to Pakistan next weekend to press the Pakistani leader to resign as army chief and hold fair elections.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999 and has reneged on a pledge to relinquish his military post by the end of 2004.

Gen Musharraf argues that the dual roles are necessary because Pakistan needs the military’s firm hand to build a democratic state and fight terrorism.

But the US-based Human Rights Watch said a civilian government would best be able to protect human rights and allow more democracy. US President George W. Bush should urge Musharraf to give up his military post during his March 4 visit to Pakistan, the group said.

“Turning a blind eye to Musharraf’s ongoing power grab undermines the Bush administration’s aim of fostering democracy in the Muslim world,” Brad Adams, director of the Asia division at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

“President Bush must tell Musharraf that he can no longer count on US support to subvert the Pakistani constitution and block genuine elections,” Adams said.—AP