Musharraf says he'll help in transition

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- President Pervez Musharraf, whose party lost in Monday's parliamentary elections in Pakistan, says he will stay in office to aid the democratic transition.

Stressing he would not resign, Musharraf said he wants to help end battles between Pakistan's president and prime minister, which propelled a military presence in governmental operations, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

"We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan," Musharraf told the Journal in an interview the day after his party and allies were roundly defeated.

U.S. President George Bush and diplomatic leaders said Musharraf delivered what he promised -- a fair election.

Musharraf said Pakistan has the checks and balances in place to prevent the usurpation of power.

"The prime minister runs the government," he said. "The president has his own position, but has no authority running the government."

Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, who as prime minister was overthrown in Musharraf's coup, said his party would reach out to the party of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated, to form a coalition.

"All of us must unite on a democratic platform," he told reporters recently.