Under Fire, Musharraf To Address Pakistan

Facing Mounting Pressure Calling For His Resignation President Hopes To Avoid Impeachment

(AP)  Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf, who is under pressure to resign in the face of possible impeachment, will address the nation Monday afternoon, his spokesman said.

The spokesman, Rashid Qureshi, would not say if Musharraf would announce that he is stepping down or offer any details of the planned speech, which was expected around 1 p.m. local time.

Despite mounting calls for his exit, and plans by the ruling coalition to bring an impeachment motion to Parliament this week, the longtime U.S.-backed president has so far resisted quitting.

On Sunday, a committee of the ruling coalition finalized a list of impeachment charges against Musharraf after five days of talks, Information Minister Sherry Rehman said.

Allies and rivals of the president have confirmed that backchannel talks have been underway aimed at avoiding an impeachment process.

Some current and former supporters have suggested that Musharraf might resign in return for guarantees he will not be prosecuted or forced into exile, and officials say Western and Arab emissaries have been in talks with the main parties.

michaelt302 wrote:

"Those of you who dislike him should be left with one certainty: things are only going to get worse in Pakistan without him.
It was much better to have a partial friend in office in that country than none at all. The future is bleak for the US-Pakistan relationship."

What a load of cr@p.

Musharraf was helped into power by Muslims and that''s where his allegiance has always been.

While it seemed that he was helping the US, he was playing both sides so that he could hold onto power.

He did the bare minimum to stop al-qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Hailing Musharraf as a "friend" of the United States is like saying Hitler was a friend of Stalin.

[oneworldusa]

Perhaps M should give up the goods on Bin Laden, or, has he been paid to much by Al-Queda to step down and be quiet?

[brianbwb-2009]

Should have known from history that those who helped him gain power,(the CIA) would abandon him at the first sign of disobedience.

Once he refused to let the US military enter and occupy his country under the false pretext of opposing "Al CIAda", and the real pretext of preventing the Taliban from taking control of Bush''s private oil pipeline, his fate was sealed.

No longer Bush''s puppet, but stained from the time that he was, Musharraf has no chance of remaining in power.

[jgunther7]

Under fire is the understatement of the year; this slimy little creep is being thrown out without ceremony. If he stays they will prosecute and imprison. The media misspeaks again and people of Pakistan are saying no more.