Pak coalition agrees to impeach Musharraf
Friday, 8 August 2008
ISLAMABAD, August 7 (AFP): Pakistan faced fresh political turmoil Thursday after officials said the country's ruling coalition had agreed to impeach President Pervez Musharraf, a vital US ally in the "war on terror."
The agreement came after three days of marathon talks between coalition leaders Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif, another ex-premier.
"The coalition parties have agreed in principle to launch an impeachment motion against President Musharraf," a senior coalition official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The government had summoned the national assembly, or lower house of parliament, to sit on August 11 but it was not immediately known when any moves to start impeachment proceedings would begin, the official added.
Musharraf's spokesman was not available for comment but officials said the president had again delayed his departure to Beijing, where he was to attend to the opening of the Olympic Games Friday.
Spokesmen for the two main parties in the coalition said a formal announcement was due to be made later Thursday.
Musharraf seized power in a military coup in October 1999 and ruled nuclear-armed Pakistan for eight years with the backing of the United States, which has counted him as a key ally since the September 11 attacks.
But his popularity slumped after he ousted the country's chief justice and imposed a state of emergency in November 2007 to prevent any challenges to his re-election as president.
Musharraf stepped down as army chief that month, and the parties of Bhutto and Sharif subsequently trounced his allies in general elections in February.
Coalition sources said the agreement to impeach came when Sharif assured Zardari that he could count on the support of some former members of the PML-N who are currently members of a pro-Musharraf party.
The agreement came after three days of marathon talks between coalition leaders Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif, another ex-premier.
"The coalition parties have agreed in principle to launch an impeachment motion against President Musharraf," a senior coalition official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The government had summoned the national assembly, or lower house of parliament, to sit on August 11 but it was not immediately known when any moves to start impeachment proceedings would begin, the official added.
Musharraf's spokesman was not available for comment but officials said the president had again delayed his departure to Beijing, where he was to attend to the opening of the Olympic Games Friday.
Spokesmen for the two main parties in the coalition said a formal announcement was due to be made later Thursday.
Musharraf seized power in a military coup in October 1999 and ruled nuclear-armed Pakistan for eight years with the backing of the United States, which has counted him as a key ally since the September 11 attacks.
But his popularity slumped after he ousted the country's chief justice and imposed a state of emergency in November 2007 to prevent any challenges to his re-election as president.
Musharraf stepped down as army chief that month, and the parties of Bhutto and Sharif subsequently trounced his allies in general elections in February.
Coalition sources said the agreement to impeach came when Sharif assured Zardari that he could count on the support of some former members of the PML-N who are currently members of a pro-Musharraf party.