Musharraf must quit by Sunday: Pak govt

ISLAMABAD: Mounting pressure on beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's ruling coalition on Saturday set a 24-hour deadline for him to resign or face impeachment in parliament next week as his chances of getting legal immunity dimmed.

Musharraf is "short of time" and if he does not quit by Sunday, the impeachment proceedings will start, senior Pakistan People's Party leader and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in Multan.

Pakistani media reported that with no resolution in sight to the political impasse, the ruling coalition may be turning to army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani to hasten the ouster of the President who has reportedly sought Saudi mediation but this was dismissed by Qureshi.

Speculation continued that Musharraf may step down in next 48 hours but the embattled President is holding out, making last-ditch efforts to strike a hard bargain.

Musharraf is reportedly not ready to accept anything short of an "honourable" stay in Pakistan with full presidential protocol and benefits and legal cover for his actions in the event of his resignation.

But a key ally of the ruling coalition, the PML-N led by former premier Nawaz Sharif, ruled out legal cover for Musharraf. "Legal guarantees are out of question," party spokesman Siddique-ul-Farooq said.

The ruling coalition is giving final shape to a comprehensive chargesheet to initiate impeachment proceedings against Musharraf. The impeachment motion would be tabled in parliament within a couple of days, Farooq said adding, it contains Musharraf's "unconstitutional acts and corruption."


Source : Times Of India