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Pakistan to grant amnesty to exiled former PM Bhutto

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The Pakistani government agreed to grant former prime minister Benazir Bhutto an amnesty on corruption charges yesterday, officials said, as Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf named a new army chief just days before he seeks re-election.

The day of dramatic developments came as Musharraf, a key US ally who seized power in 1999, faced growing opposition to his plan to win another five-year term in Saturday's presidential vote.

The move to grant an amnesty from prosecution to Bhutto, who has vowed to return to Pakistan on Oct. 18, satisfied one of her key demands for a power-sharing deal with the embattled Musharraf.

"The government has agreed to grant an indemnity on cases against Benazir Bhutto," said Pakistani Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid, a close confidant of Musharraf.

"The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz," he said.

Bhutto, who served as prime minister between 1988 and 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996, has lived in self-imposed exile in London and Dubai since 1999 because of the charges pending against her.

Senior government officials said the move would be formalized in a presidential order issued by Musharraf that was expected later yesterday.

"The president is issuing an ordinance granting amnesty to politicians against whom cases were constituted between 1985 and 1999 as part of his national reconciliation drive," a top government official said.

The official did not specify who would be covered by the amnesty.

Bhutto has held months of power-sharing talks with Musharraf but they stuck on a number of issues including her demand that politicians who served during her time in power should be given an amnesty.

They also disagreed on whether Musharraf should give up his role as army chief and on her stipulation that the government overturn a bar on people serving a third time as prime minister.

Earlier in the day, Musharraf showed his commitment to an earlier promise to quit the military if he wins the election by naming the former head of Pakistan's top spy agency to succeed him as chief of army staff.

Lieutenant General Ashfaq Kiyani is the former head of the Inter-Services Intelligence, which is tasked with hunting down al-Qaeda operatives and maintaining internal security.

"General Kiyani is widely respected as a thorough professional," top military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad saidt.

The military said Kiyani would take up the position on Monday, indicating that the president could hang up his uniform either the same day or on Tuesday, shortly after Saturday's vote.

But the political turmoil surrounding the election intensified yesterday as 85 opposition MPs resigned in protest at Musharraf's candidacy.

Musharraf has promised to step down by Nov. 15 if he wins the presidential ballot.
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