Pakistan Names Musharraf Army Successor

A former Pakistani intelligence chief has been named to replace President Pervez Musharraf as head of the army after this weekend's presidential election, state television reported today.

Pakistan Television said the appointment would be effective from Monday.

Gen Musharraf has said he will step down as army chief if he wins another five-year term as president in the vote by federal and provincial legislators on Saturday.

A military spokesman said Gen Ashfaq Kiani had been promoted to vice-chief of the army and would take the top job when Gen Musharraf vacated it.

The opposition has criticized Gen Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 coup, for refusing to give up his military role before the election, arguing that the army should be separated from politics.

Last week, Pakistan's supreme court cleared the way for Gen Musharraf to seek another term when it threw out a major legal challenge to his controversial plans to stand for the presidency while still army chief.