WASHINGTON, Nov 3: The White House on Saturday asked Gen Pervez Musharraf to quit the army office before he is sworn in as the president and hold parliamentary elections as scheduled.

In what is being described in Washington so far as the strongest reaction to Gen Musharraf’s decision to impose emergency rule in Pakistan, White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe called the move “very disappointing.”

“This action is very disappointing,” Mr Johndroe said. “President Musharraf needs to stand by his pledges to have free and fair elections in January and step down as chief of the army staff before retaking the presidential oath of office,” he added.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that Gen Musharraf’s decision to declare a statement of emergency in Pakistan was ‘highly regrettable’.