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More Pak army generals resign

Two top generals in Pakistan's powerful military today resigned, according to army sources.

General Ali Quli Khan, the general next in line to be Pakistan's army chief of staff, resigned after he was passed over for promotion. General Khalid Nawaz, another senior general, also submitted his resignation, they said.

There was no official reason given for either resignations, which followed yesterday's surprise resignation of army chief General Jehangir Karamat and the appointment of General Pervaiz Mushraf as his successor.

General Karamat's resignation came just two days after he criticised Pakistan's political leadership and advocated a National Security Council that would give the military a constitutional role in running the country, not unlike Turkey.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief bypassed Khan when he appointed General Mushraf to the post.

The political fallout of General Karamat's resignation is still uncertain. Opposition political parties have accused Sharief of forcing General Karamat's resignation to stifle his criticism of the government.

In a strongly worded statement that accompanied his call for a NSC, General Karamat warned Pakistan's political leaders that the problems facing the country were grave ones, namely a crumbling economy that teeters on the brink of collapse.

He said Pakistani politics had become mired in vendetta and insecurity-driven policies.

An army spokesman yesterday said of General Karamat's resignation, ''We have also heard this on television. We have no details. We are waiting for our orders.''

The state-run Associated Press of Pakistan said General Karamat 'applied for retirement' and was distressed by the 'unnecessary debate' his call for a NSC prompted.

General Karamat was not available for comment, but it is the first time in Pakistan's history that an army chief of staff has resigned his post. Previous army chiefs of staff have imposed martial law, rather than resign.

The Pakistan Television news alert gave a terse statement saying that General Karamat submitted his resignation to Sharief earlier in the day.

General Karamat's call for a NSC was seen by the Opposition as a final warning to the Sharief government and a harbinger of possible military rule.

UNI

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