Pakistan coalition to impeach Musharraf

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is no doubt facing the biggest ever crisis since he seized power in the 1999 coup, as the coalition government on Thursday formally announced its move towards the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf.

Leaders of Pakistan’s ruling coalition partner Pakistan People’s Party Chief Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Nawaz Sharif on yesterday evening announced in joint press conference their stand to move with the impeachment motion and also warned the former army chief against any attempt of dismissing the government.

Zardari, widower of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and head of the coalition, said "Musharraf’s policies have weakened the federation and eroded the trust of the nation by destroying the economy and wrecking the judiciary, hence the coalition leaders believe that it has become imperative to move for impeachment.”

The decision has certainly raised a fresh uncertainty in the national politics as any critical step by Musharraf would bring down the democratic rule. However as political analysts believe, considering Pervez Musharraf’s growing unpopularity in the eyes of common Pakistani, it would be another risk for him to sack the government.

As both the leaders said in their press briefing in Islamabad, the ruling coalition will soon call on a no-confidence vote in Parliament against the President. According to the constitution (Article 47), a president can be ousted if the impeachment vote wins a two-third majority of a combined strength of the National Assembly and Senate.

Though the ruling coalition- constituting PPP, PML (N) and some other smaller parties- has a comfortable majority in the assembly, Musharraf's supporters have about half the seats in the upper house Senate.

However, as always, the Pakistan Army undoubtedly has a major role to play either in supporting Musharraf or by staying out from the politics. At present, it is highly unlikely for the Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to back Musharraf which could lead to a major political and military crisis in the country.

Meanwhile, the United States and United Kingdom has said the Pakistan government’s move as an “internal” matter for the Pakistani people’s to decide.

“We have consistently said the internal politics of Pakistan is an issue for the Pakistani people to decide,” said US Department spokesman Gonzago Gallegos in a statement.