Pakistan president General Pervez Musharraf today rejected "any pressure or ultimatum" to decide whether to quit as army chief, his spokesman said.
Yesterday, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto claimed Gen Musharraf would step down under a pact to restore Pakistan to democracy.
Gen Musharraf, a US ally, and former prime minister Ms Bhutto are negotiating an agreement that could end military rule and see Mr Musharraf share power with the opposition eight years after he seized power in a coup.
While the president believed in dialogue "on all important national issues, he never worked under any pressure or ultimatum," his spokesman said. Mr Musharraf will take "all decisions only in national interest at appropriate times and according to the constitution and the law," he added.
AP