LONDON, Feb 15 Former president Pervez Musharraf hinted on Monday at a return to politics, saying he would “do anything for Pakistan” but the voters there must decide.

“I love my country and I would do anything for Pakistan,” the retired general, who was replaced in 2008, told a meeting at the Chatham House think-tank in London. “For Pakistan one would be prepared to do anything. However, it is for the people of Pakistan who need to decide.”

Gen (retd) Musharraf jokingly said “I'm a civilian now, I'm not a military man, I cannot take over anything,” a reference to his seizure of power, while army chief, from then prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999.

“I have to come through the political process, through the process of elections. But I think it's very good - it's very good because I think I will have that legitimacy which I never had,” he said.

He did not say if he had decided to return to Pakistan to face trial over his 2007 detention of judges as he attempted to cling to power.

He had imposed a state of emergency and sacked about 60 judges on Nov 3, 2007 when the Supreme Court appeared poised to declare him ineligible to contest a presidential election while in uniform.

Afghan issue Mr Musharraf said that efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan were being undermined by talk of withdrawal timetables for international forces.

He backed the current military assault on a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan, the US troop surge and political efforts for peace, but said world powers must make their commitment clear.

“We have sent 30,000 more troops, American troops, an operation is going on - very good,” he said.

“But when we are talking of running away and going after two years and all that, if I were the Taliban commander, I would leave all the places and not offer any resistance.”

The retired general added “We must give them (Afghans) the hope and strength that we are going to stay behind them and support them - not that we'll be leaving in two years, and we'll leave you in the lurch.” —AFP