Pakistan's Musharraf announces resignation
(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD August 18, 2008 - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation on Monday in the face of looming impeachment charges, ending a turbulent nine years in power. “After viewing the situation and consulting legal advisers and political allies, with their advice I have decided to resign,” a grim-faced Musharraf, wearing a sober suit and tie, said in a televised address to the nation. “I leave my future in the hands of the people.” Musharraf said he would hand his resignation to the speaker of the national assembly (lower house of parliament) later on Monday. He made the shock announcement after denying that any of the impeachment charges against him could stand and launching into a lengthy defence of his time in power.“Not a single charge in the impeachment can stand against me,” Musharraf said. “No charge can be proved against me because I never did anything for myself, it was all for Pakistan.” He said that there was now law and order in the country, that human rights and democracy had been improved and that Pakistan was now an crucial country internationally. “On the map of the world, Pakistan is now an important country, by the grace of Allah,” he said. Musharraf's popularity slumped last year amid his attempts to oust the country's chief justice and then during a wave of Taliban suicide bombings that killed more than 1,000 people, including former premier Benazir Bhutto. He imposed a state of emergency in November last year to force his re-election to another five-year term through the Supreme Court, but his political allies were trounced at the February polls.The coalition of parties which won the February election, led by Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, finally overcame months of divisions and agreed to impeach Musharraf on August 7. It piled on the pressure with no-confidence votes in Pakistan's four provincial assemblies last week. Then on Sunday it said it had drawn up impeachment charges and would lodge them in parliament this week. The charges reportedly included violation of the constitution and gross misconduct. Officials say that Musharraf's aides have been in talks with the coalition, brokered by Saudi Arabia, the United States and Britain, to allow him to quit in return for indemnity. Musharraf's spokesman had repeatedly denied in recent days that he was about to quit, and it was not immediately clear what would happen next. But a lack of apparent support from Pakistan's army, which he left in November, apparently made other options -- including dissolving parliament or even declaring another state of emergency -- impossible. Speculation over Musharraf's fate intensified overnight when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that granting asylum to Musharraf was not currently under consideration by the United States. “That's not an issue on the table, and I just want to keep our focus on what we must do with the democratic government of Pakistan,” Rice said. Western allies want Pakistan to resolve the crisis over Musharraf so it can deal with the fight against Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, where nearly 500 people have died in the past week.The government is also struggling to deal with a severe economic crunch. (Posted @ 14:56 PST)
Brief summary of President Pervez Musharraf's speech delivered in Urdu language
(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD August 18, 2008: President Pervez Musharraf began his address to the nation at 13.13 PST at the President’s House in Islamabad, saying “Today is a day of an important decision for me.” Proceedings began with recitation from the Holy Quran at 13.10 pm. President Pervez Musharraf said the nation is aware of the crisis it is going through. He said ‘when I assumed charge nine years ago the country was about to be branded a failed state and a terrorist state. He asid assumed charge with the aim of rescuing the country. In the last nine years I have tried my best to serve the country to the best of my ability… during confrontation with India, 9/11 and its aftermath and the devastating earthquake.’ ‘In all these crises we stood up thanks to the Grace of Gof and saved Pakistan from the crises. In handling the problems the sole aim was the well-being of the people and the safety and security of Pakistan. I have taken part in two wars which Pakistan fought… [The coalition government] They deceived the people. Never did they realize that they may win against me but how adversely the contry was affected did not concern them. Economic decline and energy crisis we’re experiencing is being attributed to my policies. I would like to put some facts before the nation, especially the economy. The economy was doing well, in fact very well before Deb 2007. he GDP growth was 7 percent. Revenue collection had reached $1 trillion. The KSE index was around 15,000 points. All these indicators are of reight months ago. Pakistans economy was poised to take off. How did the economic probkem start all of a sudden? Why has the stock exchange lost 5,000 points. Why has the rupee lost almost 30 percent of its value? Surely, the present economic crisis is owing to rising oil prices and similar other developments on a global basis. But it is wholly incorrect to put blame on these global factors alone. It is our own failures during the last 8 months. Power Sector: We were producing 14,000 MW in June 2007 but are now producing just about 10,000 MW. Why? In a nutshell, the people are being fooled. Let us now look forward to find solutions to take the country out of the woods. During the past nine years, we addressed all sectors and accelerated development in the country. In these 9 years , we constructed several roads and bypasses and worked on several other developmental projects. You can see for yourself how much we have done including all the dams that have been constructed (such as the Mirani Dam). Several canals are also being constructed. These developments will help irrigate 3 million acre fields in the country. There was massive industrialisation during the last nine years. There was a lot done for higher education. Nice universities from different foreign countries had agreed to set up campuses in the country. In the health sector primary and secondary healthcare was given priority. Safe drinking water was a sector that was addressed on priority and 6000 water purification plants were set up. Women were given political empowerment and now you see a lot more women in eh assemblies. Honour killing was discouraged and Hudood Ordinance laws were revamped. The minorities were given opportunities and culture and heritage was given due importance. Democracy: We incorporated the essence of democracy into the system through a highly progressive Local Bodies system. Anyone harming it will harm Pakistan. We held two successful general elections. Global Image: We introduced Pakistans true image all over the world which proves the success of our policies. I’m proud of all the achievements. If you look at the donor’s conference, we were given 6.5 billion dollars in donations when we needed 5 billion. I’ll come to the current economic scenario now. From the beginning, I wanted to create a reconciliatory atmosphere in Pakistans politics on a personal and institutional level. I talked about the 3-phase transition to democracy in Pakistan. The third phase was achieved last year when I doffed my uniform and held free and fair elections in Pakistan. After the elections, people had hopes from their leaders in the govt. Pakistanis have been looking forward toward prosperity and stability in the political atmosphere. Is unfortunate my appeals to strive for reconciliation and a resolution of economic issues facing the people went unheeded. Some sections of the political forces chose confrontation rather than reconciliation. The President’s office was accused of conspiring against the new democratic setup. You should remember it was I who held free and fair elections. Look at the PM’s election the coalition setup in Sindh. The opposition cooperated with the govt. in getting the budget passed. I have publicly announced my support to the govt. I have offered the govt. my services. Unfortunately the coalition govt. thinks me a problem and wants to impeach. What are they scared of and why do they want to do this? Impeachment and Charge-Sheet is the right of the Parliament. But I am confident that no charge can be proved against me. All my actions were for the good of the people and the country. All my major decisions were the consent of all concerned and all stake-holders, e.g. services, bureaucracy, civil society, etc. I am not at all worried about the Charge-Sheet because nothing can be proved. But the larger issue is what isit going to cost Pakistan – its economy, political and social order, honour and prestige of the highest office of the state. Such are the considerations upper-most in my mind. Whether I’m impeached or nto, the country’s stability will be compromised. The office of the president will also be insulted. Pakistan is my love; now and always, my life is for Pakistan. I have defended and will continue to defend Pakistan. I want to be able to bring Pakistan out of the current crisis so I think perhaps should do something. But I also do not want to do something that may generate uncertainty in the country. I also want to save the Parliament from horse-trading. Even if the impeachment is defeated, the relations between the President’s office and the coalition govt. will not heal. Institutions will be endangered. Therefore, with this situation in view and having consulted my legal and political advisors, I have decided to resign from my post. I have decided to resign from the office of President and my resignation will be handed over to the Speaker of the National Assembly. I want the people to be the judges and let them decide my fate. I am a human being and may have committed follies.
Supporters of Pakistan's religious party, Jamat-i-Islami, or Party of Islam, take part in a demonstration as they shout slogans against Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008. President Pervez Musharraf will not resign, his spokesman said Sunday, even after Pakistan's coalition agreed a host of charges with which to impeach the former general.
CHRONOLOGY-Months of turmoil for Pakistan's Musharraf Islamabad, August 18 (NSI News Source Info) - Beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation on Monday in the face of an impending impeachment motion by Pakistan's ruling coalition government. The former army chief and firm U.S. ally had seen his popularity slide over the past 18 months and had been isolated since his parliamentary allies lost a February general election. Here is a chronology of recent events that led to the downfall of Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in December 1999 and became president in 2001.
March 9, 2007 - Musharraf suspends Supreme Court Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry over allegations of misconduct. Lawyers rally around the top judge and Musharraf's popularity plummets.
July 10 - Musharraf orders troops to storm the Red Mosque in Islamabad to crush a Taliban-style movement there. At least 105 people are killed. Militant attacks and suicide bombings follow.
July 20 - Supreme Court reinstates Chief Justice Chaudhry, dealing a blow to Musharraf's authority.
July 27 - Musharraf meets former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Abu Dhabi for inconclusive talks on how to move the country towards a civilian-led democracy. Bhutto demands Musharraf step down as army chief.
Sept 10 - Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is arrested at Islamabad airport on his arrival from exile, despite the Supreme Court clearing his return. He is deported to Saudi Arabia.
Oct 2 - Musharraf's government announces it will drop graft charges against Bhutto, clearing the way for her return.
Oct 6 - Musharraf wins a presidential vote by legislators. Supreme Court holds off confirming legality of vote.
Oct 19 - Suicide bomber tries to assassinate Bhutto in Karachi as she returns from eight years of exile.
Nov 2 - Supreme Court meets to decide if Musharraf was eligible to stand for re-election while still army chief.
Nov 3 - Musharraf imposes emergency rule, detaining thousands of opposition politicians and lawyers.
Nov 11 - Musharraf says parliamentary elections will be held by Jan. 8.
Nov 13 - Bhutto is placed under house arrest for a week in Lahore, hours before planned march against emergency rule. Bhutto says Musharraf must quit as president.
Nov 15 - Musharraf appoints Senate chairman Mohammadmian Soomro to head a caretaker line-up to oversee elections.
Nov 22 - Commonwealth suspends Pakistan.
Nov 25 - Sharif returns from exile.
Nov 28 - Tearful Musharraf hands command of the army to General Ashfaq Kayani.
Nov 29 - Musharraf is sworn in as civilian leader.
Dec 15 - Musharraf lifts state of emergency, restores constitution.
Dec 27 - Bhutto is assassinated in a gun and bomb attack.
Jan 2 - Election delayed from Jan 8 to Feb 18 because of disturbances after Bhutto's assassination.
Feb 18 - Resounding election victory for parties led by Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari (Pakistan People's Party) and Sharif (Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). Analysts say Musharraf may be driven out.
March 9 - Sharif says he will join Zardari to form a coalition hostile to Musharraf.
Aug 7 - Ruling coalition says it will launch proceedings to impeach Musharraf.
Aug 16 - Pakistan's ruling coalition prepares impeachment charges against Musharraf focusing on violation of the constitution and misconduct.
Aug 18 - Musharraf announces resignation.
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