18.8.2008

Mr.Pervez Musharraf the President of the Islamic Republic of PakistanPervez Musharraf has announced his resignation as the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan today (18).

Announcing his resignation while addressing the nation today President Musharraf said that the reason behind his resignation is to avoid the country being put into a state of instability and confrontation.

According to foreign media sources, the intense pressure from his opponents who came into power in the February election has led the leader to take this decision.

"A coalition of his opponents, tat swept into power in February elections, has been drawing up impeachment charges against him and claimed to have the votes (two thirds of Parliament) to oust him," sources said.

In the past week, Pakistani news media were filled with speculation over Musharraf's fate — whether he would step down, contest the impeachment charges or use his power as president to dissolve Parliament.

However President Musharraf in his emotional address to the nation rejected the possibility of an impeachment winning against him saying "no impeachment or no chargesheet can stand against me.... But I think this is not the time for individual bravado... this is the time for serious thought."

"In the interest of the country, I have decided to resign. The resignation will reach the National Assembly Speaker shortly."

"No chargesheet can stand against me. No charge can be proved against me. I have this much confident in myself because I have not done anything for myself. Whatever I have done, I have done for Pakistan, its people. Whatever the chargesheet I have no fear," Musharraf said.

But questions arise as to what impact the impeachment will have on the country. Whether the country will descend into further instability and confrontation, whether the office of Presidency should come under pressure and whether it should come under impeachment procedure?

He said whether he won or lost, the country would stand to lose if the impeachment was undertaken. "The dignity of the office of the president will be affected.... The country's dignity will be maintained."

Musharraf, a former army chief who seized power in a 1999 coup, had enjoyed strong support from the White House, which viewed him as a reliable ally in the fight against Islamist terrorism. After the 9/11 attacks on Washington and New York City, Musharraf dropped his support for the fundamentalist Taliban regime in neighboring Afghanistan and offered logistical support to the U.S. forces that drove the Taliban from power.