LAHORE, Aug 11: PML-Q's former information secretary Begum Abida Husain demanded on Wednesday that Gen Pervez Musharraf should step down both as army chief and president and the Senate chairman, in his capacity as acting president, hold immediate elections.

She told reporters here that Gen Musharraf had been in power for the past five years and had failed to do anything for the country. The maker of "Pakistan First" slogan should hold the national interest supreme and quit without delay, said the former federal minister.

Begum Abida, just back with her husband Syed Fakhr Imam after attending a Democrats convention in Atlanta, where Senator John Kerry was formally nominated presidential candidate, was of the view that Gen Musharraf would not get US backing any more no matter whether the election was won by President Bush or Mr Kerry.

A "strongman" Musharraf would neither be supported by the United States nor any European country, she believed. She thought that the support would be withdrawn by December.

She said the new assemblies should elect a new president. She complained that Gen Musharraf had failed to set up any major project. On the contrary, Benazir Bhutto had rid the country of load shedding by encouraging the IPPs to set up new power projects and Nawaz Sharif had constructed a motorway.

Begum Abida said it was because of his disappointing performance that people who had supported him after his October 12, 1999 intervention, had withdrawn their support subsequently.

About her recent meeting with Ms Bhutto in London, Begum Abida said she had advised the self-exiled former prime minister to return to Pakistan and play her role in national affairs. Ms Bhutto, she said, was assessing the situation and would be back whenever she found the atmosphere conducive.

She made it clear that she had not expressed her desire to join the PPP nor Ms Bhutto had asked her to take such a step. The former PML-Q leader said the ARD should be expanded to make it a formidable political force.

She said she had advised Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan and Ms Bhutto to meet each other and discuss the possibility of mutual cooperation. The contact between the two could not be ruled out, she emphasized.

Begum Abida praised Prime Minister Shujaat Husain for his statement that nobody should question the patriotism of Baloch leaders and for his plan to meet them. The statement would send a very positive signal to the Baloch leaders, he added. Meanwhile, Mian Azhar informed Begum Abida and Mr Imam about the Pakistan National Forum's recent meeting.