LAHORE, Jan 28: President Pervez Musharraf will get himself re-elected from the present assemblies, but may take a vote of confidence from the new legislatures after the general elections, Pakistan Muslim League sources say.

The sources claimed that even if all the opposition legislators resigned the ruling coalition would be able to elect the president for another term and he would get a vote of confidence from the incoming assemblies to address the objections.

While the ruling coalition had a comfortable majority in the Senate, it expected to get 200 to 225 seats in the 342-member National Assembly in the next elections, they said.

The government was also confident that it would retain its majority in the Punjab and Sindh assemblies, they said, adding that it would try to enter into an alliance with the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) in the NWFP and Balochistan.

The two houses of parliament and the provincial assemblies together form the electoral college for the president’s post.

The sources said the election of the president was likely between Sept 15 and Oct 15, after which the assemblies would be dissolved and general elections held in December or January.

When asked whether the president would retain his military post after his re-election, the sources said a final decision on the issue would be taken by Gen Musharraf himself.

Members of the ruling coalition are reported to have conflicting views on the matter.

Replying to a question, the sources said that if former prime minister Nawaz Sharif tried to come to the country before the elections, he would be deported to Saudi Arabia, while Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto would be arrested if she returned.