Musharraf to make first speech to parliament

Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf will make his first speech to parliament tomorrow, officials said.

Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf will make his first speech to parliament tomorrow, officials said.

The speech follows a deal with a hardline Islamic party alliance last month ending a standoff over the extent of Gen Musharraf's powers that had practically paralysed parliament since its opening in 2002.

A senior government official, who declined to be identified, said President Musharraf would speak about improving ties with India, Pakistan's support for the US-led "war on terror" and the fight against Islamic militancy at home.

"The speech will focus on efforts to resolve the Kashmir dispute with India and to weed out terrorism and extremism," the official said.

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Under the constitution, a president is required to address parliament after general elections and at the beginning of each year, but Gen Musharraf has been unable to do so because of the parliamentary standoff.

His speech is expected shortly after the start of the parliamentary session at 11 a.m. (6 a.m. Irish time).

The president, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, agreed last month to step down as chief of army staff by the end of this year.

In return, the Islamists voted in favour of constitutional changes giving Gen Musharraf authority to dismiss the elected government, despite protests from other opposition groups.