Musharraf quits ahead of impeachment

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Islamabad, Aug 18 : Pakistan’s president Pervez Musharraf, who came to power in a coup nine years ago and was a key US ally in its campaign against terrorism, quit office on Monday to avoid impeachment charges. But questions remained whether he was headed for a safe haven elsewhere.

‘‘Whether I win or lose, the nation will lose,’’ Musharraf, 65, said in an hour-long televised address in which he passionately defended his record.

‘‘The honour and dignity of the country will be affected and in my view, the honour of the office of president will also be affected.’’

‘‘After reviewing the situation and consulting legal advisers and political allies and on their advice I have decided to resign,’’ a grim-faced president said.

Instant celebrations broke out on the streets of the Capital city and elsewhere and the ruling coalition termed the resignation decision as a ‘‘victory for democratic forces’’.

But questions arose immediately about whether Musharraf would remain in the country or go to some safe haven abroad—Saudi Arabia or Turkey. There was no confirmation of reports that he may go to Jeddah, where his detractor and PML(N) chief Nawaz Sharif, whom he had toppled in October 1999 to grab power, had resided under a deal with Saudi Arabia.

In the 61-year-old history of Pakistan, military dictators have ruled the country for 34 years with Pervez Musharraf going down in history as the fourth such army chief.

Reacting to the resignation, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the country’s next President would be from his party.

Bilawal, who arrived in the southern port city of Karachi from Dubai on a personal visit, told reporters that he was not directly involved in the process of selecting the next President in the wake of the resignation of Musharraf.

When he was pressed by the edia, Bilawal said the next president will be from PPP.

Meanwhile, in Islamabad, law minister Farooq Naek told reporters that elections to choose the new president would be held within 30 days of the vacancy arising in the post.

Prolonged jockeying and uncertainty over Musharraf’s position had hurt financial markets in the nuclear-armed country of 165 million people, and raised concerns in Washington and elsewhere that it was distracting from efforts to tackle militancy.

Coalition officials had said earlier Musharraf had sought immunity from prosecution but he said in his speech he was asking for nothing.

‘‘I don’t want anything from anybody. I have no interest. I leave my future in the hands of the nation and people,’’ he said.

Pakistani stocks jumped 4% on the news and the rupee, which had lost a quarter of its value this year, began strengthening.