Musharraf Says an Emotional Farewell

Bowing to international and domestic pressure, President Pervez Musharraf resigned as Pakistan's army chief yesterday, trading his uniform for hopes of another five years in power as a civilian. In a short ceremony at army headquarters in Rawalpindi, a grave-faced Musharraf handed a gold-tipped baton to his successor, General Ashfaq Kiyani, symbolizing control of the nuclear-armed military that has dominated power in the country for the past 60 years.

The band played Auld Lang Syne as Musharraf reviewed a military parade. It was an emotional moment for the general who once called his khaki uniform "my second skin". "The army is my life. I love the army," he said, bringing his 43-year military career to a close. "I may be leaving with my mind, but my heart will always be with the army."

Musharraf is due to be sworn in as president for a fresh five-year term today, capping his much maligned transition from military to civilian ruler.

On the converted hockey ground at Rawalpindi he appeared stiff and puffy faced, betraying the strain of weathering intense criticism since he imposed emergency rule three weeks ago. Kiyani, a younger man who until last month headed the ISI intelligence agency, stood at his side.

The key moment was laden with accidental symbolism. When it came to transferring the ceremonial baton, Musharraf struggled briefly to remove it from its box. Kiyani, standing opposite him, offered swift assistance. Then the baton changed hands, ushering in a new era in Pakistan's unfolding political crisis.

Western allies expressed relief, but pressed for further reforms. The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said: "The most stabilizing thing will be for Pakistan to have free and fair elections." The prime minister, Gordon Brown, urged Musharraf to return to "the normal democratic process". Speculation grew last night that Musharraf would use an address to the nation later today to announce an end to emergency rule.

Yesterday he was watched by a stand filled with generals, their chests brimming with medals, seated beside western military representatives and the interim prime minister, Mohammadmian Soomro. Army commandos prowled the perimeter, a reminder of the threat from Islamist militants accused of two suicide bombings a few miles away last Saturday.

Musharraf has imposed harsh measures to ensure that today's presidential swearing-in goes smoothly. Since November 3 the constitution has been suspended, the supreme court removed and critical media outlets have been hobbled.

The transition remains fraught with risk and Musharraf's future as a civilian politician remains unclear. He hopes to rule at the apex of a troika including the army chief and the prime minister, who will be determined after a general election due on January 9. The front runners hold little appeal for Musharraf.

Relations with the opposition leader Benazir Bhutto have frosted over since her return from exile last month. Musharraf has twice placed her under house arrest, accusing her of "confrontational politics". Two weeks ago she called him "contaminated" and demanded his resignation.

Matters got worse for Musharraf last Sunday with the return from exile of Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister he deposed to seize power in 1999. Sharif denounced Musharraf as a "dictator" and has threatened to boycott the January poll. "The main issue now is restoring the rule of law, not the uniform," said Ahsan Iqbal, a spokesman for Sharif's party.

In Karachi, Bhutto cautiously welcomed Musharraf's resignation, saying that it would allow the army to "better perform their duties". But she declined to say whether her party would accept his new status as civilian president.

Meanwhile street unrest continued to brew. About 400 lawyers in Rawalpindi staged a protest close to army headquarters, shouting "We want freedom!" and "Hang Musharraf!" But lawyers' leader Athar Minallah, recently released from jail, said their struggle was no longer just about Musharraf: "It's not about the uniform or individuals any more. It's about the future of this country."