RAWALPINDI, July 4: The re-election of President Gen Musharraf in uniform from the incumbent parliament would be done in accordance with the constitution, Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said here on Tuesday.

Talking to newsmen here at a local hotel, the minister reiterated that the president would retain the two offices in the larger interest of the country. He also rejected the demand made by the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) that Gen Musharraf should quit before July 31.

“We are planning to get President Musharraf re-elected from the sitting parliament in accordance with the constitution and would offer a dialogue to the opposition in this regard,” he added. Mr Durrani said decisions made by exiled politicians would not be entertained at any cost, and ruled out the impression that Charter of Democracy would put an end to the present ‘military- led’ government.

He said the ARD’s demands were immature and unrealistic and were not creating any problems for the government. “The ARD is building castles in the air,” he remarked.

Replying to a question, the minister denounced the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal president Qazi Hussain Ahmad’s act of seeking resignation from Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) parliamentarians and termed it an undemocratic move.