Islamabad: Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf said he could be voted in for a second five-year term by the current parliament before its dissolution for general elections due at the end of 2007 or start of 2008.
He had come to power in a military coup over six years ago, and his term expires next year.
''You read the constitution. It is very clear. When the tenure of the President ends, as mine will on November 15, 2007, a minimum of one month before, or a maximum two months before, an election should be held for me again,'' Musharraf told Avt Khyber Television in an interview.
''It means it (the presidential election) will be held between September 15 and October. 15. There are no ifs or buts in the constitution,'' Musharraf told the private Pashto language channel.
A senior government official said the time period mentioned by Musharraf for the presidential election showed that it would be done by the current parliament since general elections will be held only after that period.
Musharraf is widely expected to be re-elected given the majorities his allies enjoy in parliament and the provincial legislatures.
Under Pakistan's constitution, the two houses of parliament: the National Assembly and Senate, as well as four provincial legislatures elect the president.
Musharraf's remarks came as opposition parties moved to strengthen alliances in preparation for the coming general election.
The two exiled former Prime Ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, vowed to work together by signing a ''charter of democracy'' in London last week and said they would return to Pakistan together before the elections.
Musharraf was first elected as President through a referendum in 2002, which his opponents say, was rigged.
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