By John Ward Anderson and Robin Wright
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, January 24, 2008; A15
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Jan. 23 -- As critical elections in Pakistan approach, President Pervez Musharraf is increasingly losing support from major constituencies, including his traditional military base, amid growing questions in both Pakistan and the United States about his ability to govern.
On Wednesday, a group of more than 100 retired military officers, including influential air marshals, admirals, generals and security agency chiefs, called on Musharraf to step down immediately in order to help restore democracy and deal with Islamic radicals who have made territorial inroads in recent months.
A statement from the Ex-Servicemen's Society said that it had been monitoring recent events "with great concern and anguish" and that Musharraf's resignation was "in the supreme national interest."
Musharraf has repeatedly defied expectations of his political demise, and few observers believe that the parliamentary balloting Feb. 18 will lead to his immediate ouster.
But Pakistani analysts and U.S. officials said that the political challenges Musharraf faces are greater than they have been in the past and that his allies at home and abroad are fewer. While he has alienated former military leaders, there are signs that active-duty officers may be distancing themselves from him as well.
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