ID :
16359
Tue, 08/19/2008 - 19:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/16359
The shortlink copeid
Musharraf address to nation: Is he quitting? by Rezaul H Laskar
speculation that beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf is likely to announce his resignation in his address to thenation Monday and may leave the country.
However, his spokesman Rashid Qureshi dismissed the reports of his possible resignation as "absolute rubbish andnonsense".
There are also reports that Musharraf may not not resign and might announce repeal of National Reconciliation Ordinance (N.R.O.), under which leaders including late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Zardari were given immunity, and also rebut the charges being levelled against him in an impeachment motion planned by the rulingcoalition.
Media reports said that should Musharraf step down, he may also decide to leave the country for Saudi Arabia, which has been reportedly brokering a deal on his behalf with theruling coalition.
Musharraf, who held consultations with his legal and political advisors this morning, will address the nation at 1 pm (local time), presidential spokesman Maj Gen (retired) Rashid Qureshi said. Other sources said Musharraf is expectedto make "some important announcements" during his speech.
He also met chiefs of intelligence and security agencies to discuss the security and political situation in thecountry.
Reports for the past few days, have suggested that the increasingly isolated Musharraf will step down before the P.P.P.-led coalition launches the impeachment process againsthim in the parliament this week.
The coalition has finalised its draft impeachment motion and a chargesheet against Musharraf and documents are beingvetted by the top leaders of the ruling alliance.
Several top leaders of the coalition, including P.P.P.
co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Shah MahmoodQureshi, had asked Musharraf to quit or face impeachment.
Musharraf's aides have held talks with the government over the past few days on giving him indemnity and safepassage in the event of his resignation.
Foreign interlocutors, including British diplomat Mark Lyall Grant and Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdul-Aziz, have visited Islamabad and held talks with Musharraf and the ruling coalition to find a way out of thepolitical impasse.
Sources said while the PPP is amenable to him leaving the country following his resignation, the P.M.L.-N. and itschief Nawaz Sharif are opposed to the idea.
However, his spokesman Rashid Qureshi dismissed the reports of his possible resignation as "absolute rubbish andnonsense".
There are also reports that Musharraf may not not resign and might announce repeal of National Reconciliation Ordinance (N.R.O.), under which leaders including late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Zardari were given immunity, and also rebut the charges being levelled against him in an impeachment motion planned by the rulingcoalition.
Media reports said that should Musharraf step down, he may also decide to leave the country for Saudi Arabia, which has been reportedly brokering a deal on his behalf with theruling coalition.
Musharraf, who held consultations with his legal and political advisors this morning, will address the nation at 1 pm (local time), presidential spokesman Maj Gen (retired) Rashid Qureshi said. Other sources said Musharraf is expectedto make "some important announcements" during his speech.
He also met chiefs of intelligence and security agencies to discuss the security and political situation in thecountry.
Reports for the past few days, have suggested that the increasingly isolated Musharraf will step down before the P.P.P.-led coalition launches the impeachment process againsthim in the parliament this week.
The coalition has finalised its draft impeachment motion and a chargesheet against Musharraf and documents are beingvetted by the top leaders of the ruling alliance.
Several top leaders of the coalition, including P.P.P.
co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Shah MahmoodQureshi, had asked Musharraf to quit or face impeachment.
Musharraf's aides have held talks with the government over the past few days on giving him indemnity and safepassage in the event of his resignation.
Foreign interlocutors, including British diplomat Mark Lyall Grant and Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdul-Aziz, have visited Islamabad and held talks with Musharraf and the ruling coalition to find a way out of thepolitical impasse.
Sources said while the PPP is amenable to him leaving the country following his resignation, the P.M.L.-N. and itschief Nawaz Sharif are opposed to the idea.
