ISLAMABAD, Jan 18: The controversy over re-election of President Gen Pervez Musharraf for the next term took a new turn on Thursday when Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) claimed that the term of President Musharraf would end on December 31, 2008, and not October 15, 2007, as claimed by the government.

PPP spokesman and former senator Farhatullah Khan Babar said in a statement that after the general election held in October 2002 Gen Musharraf got a vote of confidence, on December 31, 2003, from the present assemblies.

“As the term of president is for five years, the re-election of the president of Pakistan will occur on December 31, 2008, whereas the term of the new assemblies will begin latest by February 2008, if assemblies are dissolved by their last date in November 2007," he said.

Mr Babar said one assembly could elect a president once, although it could elect another person as president if the office fell vacant through resignation or death.