Sydney, Nov.17: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf needs to get a grip over the prevailing conditions in Pakistan or go.

According to The Australian, Gates yesterday even questioned Musharraf's future effectiveness as a US ally in the fight against al-Qa'ida and the Taliban.

“General Musharraf's "ability to continue to be a partner in the war on terror very much depends on how events unfold over the next few weeks in Pakistan", he told reporters.

A former State Department official also told the BBC: "Washington may approach other members of Musharraf's team to feel them out and see whether they would be willing to engineer a transition."

Meanwhile, visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte plans to see other senior generals, including Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Lt.General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani.

Meetings are also scheduled with Interim Prime Mand former banker Mohammedmian Soomro, who also is US-educated and has good contacts at high levels in Washington.

Negroponte is expected to demand the immediate lifting of the state of emergency, restoration of the Constitution, the release of all political detainees and the reinstatement of judges fired from the Supreme Court.

But most analysts say Musharraf will be unable to accept all the demands, and the Bush Administration may look beyond him to another leader. (ANI)