(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-09-22 11:30

Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf appointed a new intelligence chief and promoted five other army generals on Friday, days after signaling he would doff his uniform if re-elected president.

Nadeem Taj, who was Musharraf's military secretary when he took power in 1999, was among those promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and will replace Ashfaq Kiani as director-general of the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

The military did not say whether Kiani will be promoted or retire. He is among the top generals tipped by analysts as a possible successor to Musharraf as army chief.

Musharraf, a key ally of the US in its war on terrorism, this week signaled that he will restore civilian rule if elected president in a ballot of lawmakers on October 6.

However the top post in the army would remain a key position in Pakistan, which has alternated between civilian governments and military rule during its 60-year history.