Musharraf to remain army chief

The military ruler of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, has said he will not step down as army chief of staff when his three-year term expires in October.

Under the constitution which General Musharraf suspended after he seized power in a coup in 1999, he was due to retire this year.

At a news conference in Karachi, General Musharraf also said he had no intention of holding parliamentary elections leading to a civilian government before October of next year, the deadline set by the Pakistan supreme court.

He said his regime still had a lot to do, and the main priority was to revive the country's economy.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service