Pakistan’s Musharraf facing impeachment countdown
SLAMABAD (AFP) — Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Sunday faced a countdown to possible impeachment after the coalition government said he had until the end of the weekend to stand down.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday that the key US ally had to make a decision on resigning to avoid being impeached “by today or tomorrow, as there is no room for any delay”.
The coalition, led by the party of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, also said it had finalised impeachment charges against Musharraf and would lodge them in parliament early next week.
Talks between Musharraf’s aides and the government aimed at securing him indemnity from prosecution have been hampered meanwhile by the opposition of Nawaz Sharif, another ex-premier.