Insiders Say Musharraf To Resign

(CBS)  Written for CBSNews.com by Farhan Bokhari, reporting from Islamabad.

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Reports of Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf's decision to step down by Sunday and avoid a parliamentary impeachment which could begin on Monday, does little to end internal political discord in the U.S.-backed south Asian country, senior Western diplomats warned late Thursday night.

The warnings from diplomats followed confirmation to CBS News from two senior Pakistani government officials who both said president Musharraf had decided to step down by Sunday. They officials spoke on condition that they would not be named due to the sensitivity of the information.

(A spokesman for Musharraf is denying that he is set to resign or seeking legal immunity to do so.)

Just before stepping down, Musharraf would hand charge to Mohammad Mian Soomro, chairman of Pakistan's senate and next in line to the president. Soomro will then continue as acting president of the country till fresh elections and held within six to twelve weeks, according to one of the two Pakistani government officials who spoke to CBS News.

News of Musharraf's departure will present the U.S. with the dilemma of re-establishing close relations with a new Pakistani president, especially to carry on close coordination between the two countries in the U.S. led war on terror. But questions remain over the way such a transition would work.

"President Musharraf is being forced out by a ruling coalition government which includes parties such as the Pakistan People's Party (of late prime minister Benazir Bhutto) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif). These parties have been sworn enemies in Pakistan and have come together only for the cause of opposing Musharraf," said one senior Western diplomat in Islamabad who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity. "What would hold such parties together once president Musharraf is gone? Would they (parties) then squabble amongst themselves?" asked the diplomat.

But one of the two government officials who spoke to CBS News and revealed information surrounding Musharraf's expected departure, said a saving grace in Pakistani politics was the neutrality of the powerful military under the command of General Ashfaq Kiyani, the chief of army staff, who took charge of the military after Musharraf retired from the army in May last year. General Kiyani has moved quickly to distance the military from politics. "If the military remains neutral, then there is a chance that political parties will learn to become more mature over a period of time, and we won't have petty infighting of the kind which has broken parties and political alliances in the past," said the government official who requested anonymity.

The Pakistani military remains a powerful player, having twice seized power in Pakistan during the country's 61-year history. In recent days, western diplomats have said, Musharraf's credentials were severely weakened and he was forced to resign only after General Kiyani informed the president that the army would remain neutral in the country's ongoing political turmoil. That turmoil gathered momentum on August 7 when leaders of Pakistan's ruling parties publicly announced their intention to impeach Musharraf.

[metsobitso]

Pakistan can run their own country now. Wait till the new leaders find out that all that US foreign aid for military weapons was not free and they are obligated to pay it back over the next fifty years. Pakistan will forever be indebted and under the control of the US. Somehow I don%u2019t think the people of Pakistan are going to wear this.

[prudentvoter]

The US can only prop up these Surrogates for so long, then the people in that country will eventually throw them out. The foreign policy of George Bush is a crime against humanity and his economic policy is a complete failure. We must impeach this imbecile.

[thepitbull13]

"Posted by brianbwb at 04:03 AM : Aug 15, 2008...."The prospect of US troops in their country, after seeing Iraq, is not an option for the Pakistani people''"..............................................

Is this not what Obama said he would do...unilaterally. He did say that he would go into Pakistan to pursue bin Laden without their permission. Maybe with Musharraf, but Musharraf has been elected out of office.....and in the early stages of democracy as is Pakistan we can only hope that he does, for the sake of democracy. This is the initial processes that build natons and allies that are not ruled by totalitarianism. He was a military general the came into power from a coup. If he steps down it will mean there a greater good is becomming for the Pakistani people. These are things they have to sort out.

[brianbwb-2009]

"If you are so smart why didn''''t you warn in advance that Saddam did not have WMD''''s at that time." Posted by mahalapril

You are very confused. Saddam had nothing whatsoever to do with 9/11, even Bush has finally stopped telling that lie, and as for warnings, the US was warned by many people, like Hans Blix, head of the UN weapons inspectors, the pentagon, the IAEC, Valerie Plame''s husband, and many others that there were no WMDs, even I knew it, as did many Americans. Bush did not care, as he was lying about them in the first place.

[brianbwb-2009]

"There is a great tendency for USA goverment and news media to wash off the "Islamic" references when talking about this country. In many ways, it resembles a double standard." Posted by Pensacola88

Actually their calling themselves an Islamic republic has little or nothing to do with this situation.

Musharraf is about to be ousted because the Pakistani people reject being a US vassal-state, and Musharraf has more than worn out his welcome. He was put into power with the help of the CIA, and because he was, up until recently, also head of the military, was able to effectively quash dissent.

But no more. The prospect of US troops in their country, after seeing Iraq, is not an option for the Pakistani people, they will not accept being in the crossfire of a Taliban-US gang war, nor will they themselves begin hostilities for no good reason, against some of the world''s most battle-hardened Afghan warriors, who defeated even the mighty Russian army.

[pensacola88]

This article doesn''t offer information about whether the recent assaults on Taliban elements in Pakistan were related in this political coup against Pervez Musharif. If, so, then obviously, the reaction of Taliban hardliners to prompt political pressure to oust Musharif, shows the fragility of the Pakistani political process.

Some forget the full name of the country we call Pakistan. The official full name is "The Islamic Republic of Pakistan".

There is a great tendency for USA goverment and news media to wash off the "Islamic" references when talking about this country. In many ways, it resembles a double standard.

[mahalapril]

VastR-Wcon-You are a stupid American who doesn''t know what you are talking about.If Bush wasn''t pres. on 9/11 and Obama or democrat was you would probably be added to the fatality statistics from 9/11 because these Islamic terrorists would continue to attack the US. Are you not going to blame Bush for not having a major terrorist attack on the US since 9/11.You should be forced to adopt islamic terrorists to live and sleep with you for the rest of your life since you are more symphatetic to the terrorists than the American victims. How do you feel about the horrific deaths of the 9/11 Americans and the beheading and torture of Americans in Iraq.Are you a saint?Saddam refused the search so UN,EU and congress approved the war on Iraq.If you are so smart why didn''t you warn in advance that Saddam did not have WMD''s at that time.

[fixhist]

General Naseerullah babar is compiling Chargesheet against General Reatrded Musharraf. As Per constitution of Pakistan general Musharraf had to be on Gallows, However we had asked for doing away with the death penalty from Indo-Pak.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX_4_NiJKfk

Here is little bit back grounder of wrong doings by Musarraf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMROFXKCQuY

And off course fooling westerners to massacre of innocent nomads of Afghanistan and NWFP/Baluchistan was not only domestic crime, he pompously shipped over half of the inmates to GTMO.

Despite all charges, Musharraf has to be Hague commission for War crimes,personal safety must not be compromised at any cost.

Rest assured PAKISTAN is a Blessed country,she has established track record to sustain friendships in good and bad times.
America should be least concerned for the wrong doings by Musharraf cabals,as future seems & can be more friendly than the past.

[iphyt4u]

Wanted: 1 U.S. puppet. Brown nosing required. Preferably educated in an Eastern Ivy League School.

[rickstas]

Good riddance!