According to Gillani, Musharraf “probably” has no intention of using the President’s controversial powers to dissolve the parliament and dismiss the prime minister.

“He has been President for eight years. He has willingly doffed his uniform. And he has recently conducted an election, one that has brought pro-democracy forces into power,” Gillani told the Nawa-i-Waqt Urdu media group.

Musharraf has a power under Article 58(2b) of the constitution to dissolve the Parliament if the judges deposed during last year’s emergency were reinstated.

“We don’t believe the President has any intention of using the clause,” Gillani said. “We will have to respect the people’s mandate — and so will the President,” he said.

But Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif insists that the President should quit. About Asif Ali Zardari becoming prime minister after contesting the June by-election, Gillani said “Zardari has every right to contest the election. As far as my office is concerned, I was made Prime Minister by my party. And I will stay with the party.”

Sources in the PML-N say there will definitely be some friction among the coalition members when the issue of the new prime minister comes up.