Impeachment

[IceCold]

I have one question to people who want to imbeah Musarraff. What good will it bring to Pakistan? answer my question with reasonable answer please instead off calling Musarraff traitor, wicked, corrupt. because all i can conclude is this, New goverment is trying to divert attention from real problems to a problem which is so little. If you thig its a big deal then please clearly explain how musarraff is hurting Pakistan AT THIS TIME?
thanks

It would certainly do no good to the country, the only thing that it will do however is that some maniacs will get their egos satisfied. Other then that it won't solve the wheat crises, it wont solve the electricity crises, it wont result in the reduction of terrorism and certainly wont help in establishing better relationships with India. And i highly doubt that it will help in the restoration of the judiciary. So in short nothing at all.

 

[Goodperson]

Musharraf 'not resigning' over impeachment


ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is negotiating through "back-channel contacts" to reach a compromise that would let him avoid impeachment, according to an official with the pro-Musharraf political party, PML-Q.
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf will not resign over impeachment charges, spokesman says.

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf will not resign over impeachment charges, spokesman says.

However, Musharraf's spokesman called "baseless" the local media reports that he had decided to resign before Monday, when impeachment charges are expected to be filed.

The push for Musharraf's removal gained steam this month, with three of Pakistan's four provincial assemblies calling for him to step down or face impeachment. Lawmakers in a fourth province, Balochistan, have indicated they'll vote soon on a similar resolution.

The resolutions are non-binding, but they signal a growing drumbeat by Pakistani lawmakers to pressure the politically embattled president to leave office.

Tariq Azim, PML-Q information secretary, said it was taking the ruling coalition a long time to compile a list of impeachment charges against Musharraf, making it a long, drawn process "which will be harmful to the country."

"Because the impeachment process is very harmful to the country and may damage the country, we have to find a middle ground through reconciliation and talks," Azim said.

Azim said that talks with the lead party in the ruling coalition -- the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) -- "are going in the right direction."

One option is for Musharraf to resign "provided there are guarantees," he said.

"As I read the president, he will never leave the country and wants to stay here," Azim said.

General Rashid Qureshi, Musharraf's spokesman, denied reports that the president was in talks with the PPP to avoid impeachment.

Sherry Rehman, the PPP spokeswoman, gave no details about the talks but she said "the party is not in the politics of revenge."

The parliamentary process to unseat Musharraf would be arduous. The ruling coalition would have to compile a list of charges against Musharraf to impeach him. Once lawmakers submit charges, the National Assembly -- the lower house of Parliament -- would vote on whether to move forward with impeachment.

A majority vote would be required for the charges to be considered. Next would come an actual vote on impeaching Musharraf.

Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup nearly nine years ago and ruled Pakistan until his foes swept to victory in parliamentary elections in February. He has seen his power erode significantly since then.
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It is unclear how much support he still has among the military brass. The army has indicated that it wants to stay out of politics.

Musharraf has long been an ally of the United States, which has sent Pakistan billions of dollars in aid during his administration to deprive Islamic militants of the sanctuary they have established along the country's rugged border with Afghanistan.

Musharraf 'not resigning' over impeachment - CNN.com

 

[fatman17]

Musharraf's Army Chief Abandons Him as Ouster Looms

By James Rupert

Aug. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistani army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani owes his powerful post to Pervez Musharraf and now may be the only person who can save the embattled president's job.

Unfortunately for Musharraf, Kayani has opted to stay out of the fight, leaving his patron to choose between resigning or facing impeachment proceedings he has a good chance of losing. Musharraf's spokesman denied press reports the President will resign soon.

``I don't know where they are getting these reports,'' Rashid Qureshi said by telephone today. ``I have been hearing this for months.'' Musharraf told his political supporters today he won't quit and will fight impeachment proceedings, GEO Television reported today, without saying where it got the information.

The army chief has told both sides he wants the confrontation between Musharraf, 65, and parliament's ruling coalition settled without public upheaval, said Shuja Nawaz, a political analyst whose brother ran the army from 1991 to 1993.

Kayani's reticence means the armed forces that brought Musharraf to power in a 1999 coup probably won't support any invocation of his authority to dismiss parliament because that might incite street protests.

``The army does not want to be seen on the side of an unpopular president against the people,'' said retired Lieutenant General Talat Masood, an independent political consultant in Islamabad. ``It needs the support of the people in its fight.''

Musharraf's Detractors

Kayani also is unlikely to let Musharraf's detractors put him on trial once he leaves office for leading the coup because ``that would draw the military into politics,'' Nawaz said.

Kayani, who seldom speaks publicly and declined to be interviewed, has displayed his independence since last year, when as intelligence chief he refused to back Musharraf's firing of Pakistan's chief justice. The dismissal sparked protests as many Pakistanis turned against the president.

Before February elections that put anti-Musharraf lawmakers in control of Parliament, Kayani ordered officers to cut off contact with politicians because the military had been accused of meddling in past votes.

Important Ally

The army's effective abandonment of Musharraf may put an end to nine years on the world stage that saw Pakistan's economy expand at an average annual rate of 7.5 percent since 2004. Under Musharraf, Pakistan was one of the Bush administration's most important Muslim world allies in the fight against Islamic extremists, including al-Qaeda.

The military's refusal to intercede also may help end a stalemate over his fate that has paralyzed the ruling coalition since it trounced Musharraf's allies in the February elections. Nawaz Sharif, the man he deposed in the 1999 coup, and Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, head the two biggest parties and are leading the impeachment challenge.

His departure ``is the only way the government can get back to dealing with the real issues,'' including Pakistan's highest inflation rate in 30 years and its fight against resurgent Taliban extremists along the Afghan border, Masood said.

The 550,000-strong army is Pakistan's most formidable institution: Four of its 14 commanders have gone on to take power, and the military has ruled for half the nation's 61-year history. Musharraf was the army's chief when he seized power, and he assumed the presidency in 2001 before handing his military title to Kayani last November under domestic and international pressure.

U.S. Officials

Since late last year, a stream of U.S. officials has visited Kayani. Among them: Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, CIA Director Michael Hayden, National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell and Admiral William Fallon, then the commander of U.S. Central Command.

``He recognizes the huge responsibility that's on his shoulders as the chief of the army, which is the one institution in the country that reaches throughout society and has been a foundation of stability, such as it exists, in Pakistan,'' said Fallon, now retired.

Kayani, 56, the son of a non-commissioned officer, joined the army in 1971 and rose through the ranks as an infantry officer. He served as a military aide to Bhutto in the 1980s.

The future general pursued training at the U.S. Army's Fort Benning, in Georgia, and graduate studies at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

`Careful and Analytical'

He ``is very careful and analytical,'' said Barry Shapiro, a retired U.S. Army colonel who studied with Kayani at the Defense Department's Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu in 1997.

During that three-month course, Kayani ``paid to bring his family along and enroll his son in a U.S. public high school,'' said Shapiro. ``He wanted them exposed to new experiences, and that is part of his thought process.'' Much of the Pakistani officer corps ``sees the world through a very narrow aperture, but Kayani is not content with that.''

After Islamic militants linked to al-Qaeda twice bombed Musharraf's motorcade in 2003, the president assigned Kayani to find the plotters, most of whom were arrested within months.

Musharraf's 2006 memoir, ``In the Line of Fire,'' praised the general for ending turf battles in the armed forces.

``When Kayani got tough, the problems of coordination disappeared and the agencies started working like a well-oiled machine,'' Musharraf wrote. The president named Kayani in 2004 to head the main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate.

On March 9, 2007, Musharraf summoned Kayani and other military and intelligence officials to a meeting with Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as he was considering a legal challenge to the president's re-election. Musharraf demanded the jurist's resignation, accusing him of misconduct. Most of the officials backed the president, according to Pakistani press reports. Kayani sat silently.

In June 2007, the heads of the two other intelligence agencies provided written accusations for Musharraf's legal team to use against Chaudhry. Kayani ``stayed out of it,'' said Nawaz, from Washington.

To contact the reporter on this story: James Rupert in Islamabad at jrupert3@bloomberg.net.

 

[blain2]

Fine we will call Hamid Mir an Idiot and I too agree at some level that Hamid Mir is merely spicing it up, we have seen it, than you should also agree that Ahmed Quarashi's is lota journalist. If it is possible lets avoid commenting on their journalistic charisma I am sure there are plenty of other good journalist, in particular one my favorites is Khalid Hassan.

I would have seen Musharraf as a Patriot only when he was the CoAS, and when the year 1999 came he was no longer a patriot in my book. I would honour him if he resign even though he should have done that when Benazir (shaheed) was assassinated.

Only history will tell this untold story, for once allow give a little more trust to democracy, if this government is fail you should openly curse it when its tenure finishes, WoT is brought Pakistan know good and you must start to recognize that if you are a true Patriot.

Fine I will avoid using those words but you must also take notice of what you post, most of it is only made of malice and discontent nothing but empty hate towards the civilian government we had your beloved rule of autocracy for nearly a decade and yet now when a civilian setup has returned we need to respect that too, how long will you live like this be mature you people should try to weigh up your words just blatantly saying they will do this and they will do that wont make it appear that way.

My gripe is not w/democracy. I have absolutely no problems with Musharraf getting a safe exit (with immunity and the right to live in Pakistan) and democracy in Pakistan. My problem is the champions of democracy (Zardari and NS). They will run the country to the ground.

 

[Goodperson]

My problem is the champions of democracy (Zardari and NS). They will run the country to the ground.

I don't think so, Zardari might have won riding on Sympathy factor but same is not true with Nawaz. Both will keep tab on each other eventualy they will face elections if PA permits.

Better leaders will evolve.

 

[blain2]

I don't think so, Zardari might have won riding on Sympathy factor but same is not true with Nawaz. Both will keep tab on each other eventualy they will face elections if PA permits.

Better leaders will evolve.

I hope the same but if the past is anything to go by, things are looking pretty bleak in the near to mid term.

 

[Interceptor]

My problem is the champions of democracy (Zardari and NS). They will run the country to the ground.

Let History be the judge of that you cant give democracy the blame for what has happened to Pakistan most of the time democracy has been on the streets fighting, you must wake up their is no now and than and tomorrow for a one man rule, the people must have power that is the only way Pakistan has always progressed, if the following leaders die tomorrow Pakistan has replacement but if a dictator dies than their is no replacement it either he will be replaced by a force second to him or will take the whole thing with him.

Democratic rule gave all that you see before you in progress, now how can you ignore that, why are the people corrupt after all a politician comes from the people to lead them would he not know his own platoon , look if the leaders do wrong the public pressure will build you know that the Democratic rule is prone to public pressure, the Media will regulate all kinds of hype the free Judiciary will regulate criminal prosecutions the Army will regulate the borders around it, the Assembles will regulate bills to improve the peoples lives, the Parliament will be supreme, and in due time their will be elections, people will filter those who did not perform and elect those who did perform, amazing the Peoples Justice is supreme.

 

[Energon]

I hope the same but if the past is anything to go by, things are looking pretty bleak in the near to mid term.

Not necessarily; the nation has grown immensely with its recent experiences (tumultuous as they may be) and the population is certainly a bit more aware of its own weight. If Zardari and Nawaz fail to deliver; they will suffer the same fate as their currently embattled predecessor.

The depressing cycle of incompetent politicians bringing the country to the precipice of doom, which luckily gets averted via some half-assed ad hoc policy, only for other incompetent politicians to do the same will have to take place until the stock of leadership matures. This may very well take decades... but this cycle has to play itself out. Countries like China, India and Brazil have already gone through this phase and are now on their way to enjoy the fruits of their labor; there is no reason to believe that Pakistan can't do the same.

Until now, the military has always intervened to break this cycle for the sake of short term gains. But the long term effect of essentially setting the "re-start" button have been immense. Hopefully this will not happen again.

 

[Interceptor]

Final charge-sheet handed over to Naek

Saturday, August 16, 2008
Constitutional, judicial violations; Lal Masjid operation main points

By Asim Yasin

ISLAMABAD: The PPP-PML-N joint committee on Friday finalised draft of the charge-sheet against President Pervez Musharraf.

The committee met at the residence of Information Minister Sherry Rehman which was attended by Mian Raza Rabbani, Farooq H Naek, and Farhatullah Babar, Ishaq Dar and Ahsan Iqbal. The charge-sheet is largely based on two main points, i.e., violation of the Constitution and gross misconduct by President Musharraf.

Sources said on the issue of constitutional violation, the committee identified dozens of violations by President Pervez Musharraf during his nearly nine years rule, including military coup against the elected government of Nawaz Sharif in 1999; suspension of the Constitution twice; two-time aggression against the judiciary, first on March 9, 2007 and secondly on Nov 3, 2007; indifference to the constitutional requirement of annual address to parliament; awarding the NFC to the provinces without consulting them; military operation in Balochistan with particular reference to target killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti; thus, putting the federation under serious threat.

These and many more points with regard to violation of the Constitution constitute the draft charge-sheet. On the "gross misconduct", sources said, there were two-dozen points, which came under its purview. Some of these points include military operation on Lal Masjid; decisions and agreement with foreigners without consulting parliament and leadership; use of force on the people of Pakistan; extradition of Pakistanis to the United States; unwillingness to produce missing persons before courts despite their insistence, etc.

After finalisation, the draft of the charge-sheet was handed over to Law Minister Farooq H Naek to review in details its legal aspects before handing it over to the political leadership. After legal review, it will be up to the political leadership of Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif to initiate impeachment process against the president.

Sources described the charge-sheet as quite bulky, comprehensive and having a number of annexure. However, the committee members were tight-lipped over the contents of the charge-sheet, as they did not want to share it in public before formally tabling it in the National Assembly.

"We have completed our task to draft the charge-sheet and hand it over to the law minister for vetting and now it is up to the political leadership to decide the timing of its filing. We are not in a position to say anything on the contents of the charge-sheet before our leadership reviews it," one of the members of the committee said.

It is up to both the leaders (Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif) to make a decision either to convene a session of the heads of the ruling coalition or meet them personally to present the charge-sheet for getting their approval.

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Sherry Rehman said the charge-sheet was a technical document and the law minister would look into it so that it could be presented to the coalition leadership.

To a question on the safe passage for the president, she said the final decision would be taken by the coalition partners, adding Article 44 of the Constitution allowed the president to opt for resignation.

Replying to another question, she said a joint session of parliament was expected to be summoned next week so that a resolution to impeach the president could be presented in the house.

While talking to newsmen, PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said after tabling of the no-confidence motion in all the four provincial assemblies Musharraf has lost every moral, legal and constitutional right to continue as the president of Pakistan.

Final charge-sheet handed over to Naek

Note that if Impeachment process is agreed upon by the ruling coalition which they most certainly will, and if Musaharraf is voted out than he is also declared constitutionally as a criminal, and will lose all mandatory benefits; such as ex-President protocol, ex-CoAS protocol and pension of both ranks, he will also be unable to fight any election as he is declared as criminal so he has no political career. The above is a procedure under the constitution for the impeached.

Note also if Musharraf resigns which he is allowed to do so at any time even during the National Assembly session, he will than be allowed to go back to his own so on, however, the Impeachment process will carry on as it is required to impeach the President by constitutional means as required and that also means the above stated will again apply.

 

[Interceptor]

Balochistan PA rejects Musharraf

Saturday, August 16, 2008
Unanimous resolution asks president to seek trust vote or quit
QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly (BA) on Friday passed unanimously a resolution demanding of President Pervez Musharraf to seek a vote of confidence or step down.

The joint resolution was adopted as 58 legislators out of 65 voted for it while no member opposed the resolution. Woman legislator of the PML-Q and Minister for Law Rubina Irfan presented the resolution before the house. Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhutani presided over the assembly session.

PML-Q parliamentary leader Shaikh Jaffar Mandokhel, PML-Q legislators Tariq Masuri, Sardar Masood Luni, Nasreen Khethran and the only opposition member in the BA Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, PPP lawmaker Ameen Umrani and BNP-A legislator Asghar Rind did not turn up in the voting session of the house, which met to adopt the anti-Musharraf resolution. Excluding Ameen Umrani and Tariq Massuri, the five other absentees had voted the president in the presidential election in November last.

The house suspended the concerned sub-rule of the Rules of Procedures for tabling the resolution. The law minister presented the resolution on behalf of parliamentary leader JUI-F Maulana Abdul Wasay, PPP lawmaker Sadiq Umrani, parliamentary leader BNP-A Asad Baloch, parliamentary leader ANP Zamarruk Khan, parliamentary leader Independent Group Sardar Aslam Bizinjo, PML-N legislator Capt (retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, and MPAs Sardar Rustam Khan Jamali, Abdul Rehman Mengal, Hammal Kalmati, and Zahoor Hussain Khosa.

The resolution cited the following grounds for asking the president to quit his office:

1) President Pervez Musharraf has violated and subverted the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan twice by holding it in abeyance, and policies pursued by him damaged the democratic transition in the country.

2) The president is a symbol of Federation in accordance with the terms of the Article 41 (1) of the Constitution, but he violated the sanctity of his office and created disharmony among the federating units and paralysed the Federation due to his flawed policies. Besides, he brought sense of despondency among the federating units.

3) The flawed policies pursued by the president during the last eight years have brought the country into political crisis and economic impasse.

4) The president launched an illegitimate military operation in Balochistan and he is responsible for assassinating veteran Baloch politician Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and killing thousands of other Baloch people and keeping hundreds of Baloch, Pashtoons and other Balochistanis in detention without being formally charged.

5) The house deems President Pervez Musharraf as unfit to continue to hold the office of the president.

The resolution demanded of the president to a seek vote of confidence from his electoral college and if he fails, it demanded of parliament to issue a notice of impeachment under the Article 47 of the Constitution. Later, the speaker read the order of Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi who prorogued the assembly session under clause (b) of the Article 109 of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani urged President Pervez Musharraf to step down as it was in the best interest of everyone. Talking to journalists after the session, he said the impeachment move could expose the country to other crises.

ìThere is no option left to the president except to quit immediately,î he said, hoping that Musharraf would resign before the impeachment. He said he would head the provincial cabinet in Islamabad where they would persuade MNAs and senators from the province to favour the no confidence motion against the president.

Balochistan PA rejects Musharraf

The Q-League has openly showed no support for the President in all four assembles and it just shows how they too feel about this. So now Musharraf has no moves left as the ruling coalition has removed them, unless he takes the vote of confidence which wont happen.

 

[asaad-ul-islam]

musharraf should reinstate the judges, repeal the NRO, send the politicians to... , and then resign with a "F-U-ALL!"

 

[BanglaBhoot]

This news item appeared in a pro-Indian paper in Bangladesh -

Journalist Hamid Mir From Pakistan

Peres’ desperate bid to help ‘friend’ out

Hamid Mir

Israeli President Shimon Peres is desperately trying to help his friend Pervez Musharraf who is going through the most difficult time of his political life.

Reliable sources in foreign office have revealed that Shimon Peres is putting indirect pressure on the coalition government in Pakistan through different diplomatic channels not to impeach Musharraf. Peres wants a safe exit for Musharraf and he is also ready to provide security for his friend outside Pakistan.

These sources have claimed that Shimon Peres and Musharraf are in regular contact with each other for the last three years. Both met first in Davos in January 2005 and after that they had written many letters to each other and exchanged pleasantries on telephone several times.

It is learnt that Peres wrote his first-ever official letter to Musharraf in October 2007 and appreciated his efforts in the fight against terrorism. Musharraf, in his response, thanked the Israeli President for his support and good wishes. These letters were exchanged through diplomatic channels of Turkey.

Peres called his Pakistani friend again a few days ago. Though the details of their conversation were not available with Pakistani foreign office, it is believed that Peres must have offered some help to Musharraf.

Informed sources are of the view that Israel has strong friendly relations with Turkey and is in a position to provide security for Musharraf in Turkey. One close friend of Musharraf is busy in lobbying for his boss in the USA these days. This friend of Musharraf has met many leaders of the World Jewish Congress recently.

This special friend enjoyed ministerial status for many years in Pakistan despite the fact that he was an American citizen and he was not elected from anywhere in Pakistan. It is learnt that the same friend is requesting his American Jewish contacts to do something for the safe exit of Musharraf through Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Peres had openly said in October 2001 that he prayed for the life of Musharraf every morning because had signed his death warrant by changing the Afghan policy of Pakistan.

After that, Musharraf also came into contact with late Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon. He also met Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak in January this year in Paris. Diplomatic sources claim that Musharraf is the most popular Pakistani leader in Israel.

Musharraf was the first Pakistani leader who was invited to address the World Jewish Congress in US in 2005.After that historic event, the then foreign minister of Pakistan Khurshid Kasuri met Israeli foreign minister Silvon Shalom in Turkey in 2005. Musharraf asked Pakistani foreign office in early 2007 to prepare a plan for the recognition of Israel but the plan was not materialised due to the political turmoil started in March 2007.

It is also pertinent to mention here that Indian National Security Adviser MK Narayanan was the first foreign leader to come out openly in support of Musharraf on Wednesday, saying that impeachment of Musharraf will only help extremists in Pakistan. Naraynan declared on December 19, 2007 that India could trust Musharraf but not Benazir Bhutto.

Musharraf knows that he is still popular with Indian and Israeli establishments and has a lot of friends in Western capitals. If provided a safe exit, he can find a new role in international diplomacy.

Highly placed sources in the coalition government have claimed that Musharraf is now completely isolated. He has informed Asif Zardari through the governor of Punjab that he will resign if provided with special indemnity.

Coalition government is not ready to provide him indemnity and in that case he will face a first-ever humiliating impeachment, which will definitely make a new history in Pakistan.

:The Daily Star: Internet Edition

 

[fatman17]

Pakistan's Army seeks way for President Musharraf bow out gracefully

Zahid Hussain in Islamabad

President Musharraf of Pakistan remained defiant yesterday, denying reports of his imminent resignation, and clinging on to power in spite of his growing political isolation and the looming threat of impeachment.

As tension over his fate mounted, the Pakistani military tried to broker a deal that would allow the head of state to make an honourable exit and retire with immunity from prosecution.

Sources close to the military said that secret talks were under way to avoid impeachment proceedings. A deal would end the former general's rule of almost nine years and complete the transition to democracy.

Ahmad Mukhtar, the Defence Minister, said yesterday that the ruling coalition was in touch with Mr Musharraf's aides. “We have conveyed to them that the coalition is determined for impeachment and if he wants to save himself, the best way is for him to quit,” Mr Mukhtar said. The talks have dragged on, with the Pakistan Muslim League (N), led by Nawaz Sharif, the former Prime Minister and junior partner in the fractured coalition Government, insisting that Mr Musharraf be tried for sedition.

The former general, who seized power in 1999, is fighting for his political survival after the ruling alliance decided last week to proceed with an impeachment motion against him. A close aide predicted that he would be out within a few days.

The military has indicated that it would not allow its former chief to go through impeachment and be humiliated. “The military will not let him be persecuted,” a senior army officer said. Its high command is also becoming increasingly concerned by the political turmoil triggered by the power struggle. Some observers fear that the impeachment process could draw military intervention.

No previous Pakistani leader has been impeached but proceedings against Mr Musharraf appear inevitable if he stands his ground against the coalition Government. The chances of him surviving the vote are increasingly slim, with several of his old allies ready to switch.

Mr Musharraf effectively became politically isolated after his rivals swept parliamentary elections in February. The governing coalition, led by the Pakistan People's Party, decided to press for impeachment, saying that Mr Musharraf had plunged Pakistan into political and economic crises during his tenure.

Analysts said that the stand-off might not go as far as an impeachment motion in Parliament because it is almost certain that Mr Musharraf would lose. His best way out would now seem to be a dignified exit before Parliament debates the impeachment.

Times Online | News and Views from The Times and Sunday Times

 

[Neo]

Kayani may be asked to play role : Musharraf — next 72 hours critical​

* President wants to stay in Pakistan with protocol, benefits and indemnity after resignation
* Ruling coalition wants Musharraf to quit before it tables impeachment resolution in National Assembly​

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) believes that if President Pervez Musharraf does not resign within the next 72 hours –before the process of his impeachment begins –the political crisis will deepen, a senior PPP leader told Daily Times.

He said President Musharraf was expected to quit within 72 hours. “If he continues to stick to his position and does not resign, it will create a situation leaving the government with no option but to ask the army chief to intervene and help resolve the political crisis,” he said.

Another source also confirmed that the PPP-led coalition was likely to approach Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to negotiate a deal between President Musharraf and the four-party ruling coalition to end the political impasse in the country.

“General Kayani will be asked to intervene, if the president does not show flexibility,” the source said. It has also been learnt that President Musharraf is not ready to accept any thing short of ‘honourable’ stay in Pakistan with full presidential protocol and benefits with legal cover to his actions in case of his resignation.

The coalition partners on the other side, despite their internal differences, want Musharraf to quit before they submit a resolution in the National Assembly.

“The coalition partners are also ready to let Musharraf go to a country of his choice, at least for the time being,” another source said.

Though the coalition enjoys comfortable numerical strength to oust the president through impeachment, efforts are being made that he resigns before the initiation of the impeachment process. These sources also believe that President Musharraf’s is banking on the army and his foreign friends, especially the Unites States and the United Kingdom. “The president is confident that they will not let him down to face a humiliating ouster at the hands of the political parties.”

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesman Rashid Qureshi denied the president intended to resign in the next few days. “The recent spate of news reports and rumours being spread that President Pervez Musharraf is resigning are totally baseless and malicious,” he said. He said such “unsubstantiated reports” were hurting Pakistan’s economy.

 

[fatman17]

^^^interesting times ahead!