WRAP AP pix of Musharraf stepping down as army chief

(28 Nov 2007)
1. Various of military honour guard marching
2. Pakistani President and chief of army General Pervez Musharraf and his successor as military commander General Ashfaq Kayani walking on to podium
3. Cutaway of media
4. Various cutaways of people watching
5. Various of Musharraf and Kayani saluting
6. Wide of Musharraf and Kayani on podium
7. Musharraf walking down from podium
8. Musharraf walking to inspect troops
9. Kayani watching from podium
10. SOUNDBITE: (Urdu) General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan President and outgoing Chief of Army staff:
"I today, after 46 years of being in uniform, say goodbye to the army. From tomorrow I will not be in command, but I am definitely happy about one thing and that is I spent these 46 years with a lot of dignity and happiness."
11. Cutaway of military officials listening
12. SOUNDBITE: (Urdu) General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan President and outgoing Chief of Army staff:
"May God be on the side of this army forever. I will be no more in uniform but this army will always remain in my heart and mind and I will always think about you."
13. Wide of podium
14. Musharraf and Kayani walking down from podium for handover ceremony
15. Cutaway of military officials
16. Musharraf and Kayani shake hands and salute after Musharraf transfers ceremonial baton of command to him
STORYLINE:
Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf stepped down from his powerful post as Pakistan's military commander on Wednesday, a day before he was to be sworn in as a civilian president as part of his long-delayed pledge not to hold both jobs.
During a change of command in the garrison town of Rawalpindi near the capital, Islamabad, Musharraf relinquished his post by handing over his ceremonial baton to his successor, General Ashfaq Kayani.
In an emotional final speech to the troops Musharraf said they were the "saviours of Pakistan."
"I will be no more in uniform but this army will always remain in my heart and mind and I will always think about you," Musharraf said.
Musharraf's retirement from the military has been a key opposition demand and the move may help defuse a possible boycott of parliamentary elections in January by parties opposed to his rule.
Since seizing power in a coup in 1999, Musharraf has served as president while retaining his post as head of the armed forces.
The move, which ended his more than 40 years in the army, casts him into uncertain waters, with rivals snapping at his heels and the militants he has sworn to fight after the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States contesting ever more of his country's territory along the Afghan border.
Musharraf had promised to give up his army role at the end of 2004.
But he reneged on that pledge, saying the country still needed strong leadership in the face of Islamic extremism.
He has given it up now, in line with the constitution, only after securing a fresh term as president.
He was re-elected by Parliament in October, but his confirmation was held up by the Supreme Court following complaints that a military man could not constitutionally serve as an elected head-of-state.
Musharraf reacted by proclaiming a state of emergency on November 3, sacking the chief justice and other independent judges and replacing them with his appointees.
The reconstituted top court then approved his election.
Officials have indicated that the emergency could be lifted soon after Musharraf takes the presidential oath, but have not set a firm date.
The hour-long ceremony was held on a field hockey field next to the military complex headquarters.

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