Pak Army to ask Musharraf to resign in a week: report

Quoting a senior official from the ruling Government coalition partner, the Pakistan People’s Party, The Daily Telegraph said that Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Kiyani has already “whispered in Musharraf’s ear that it is time to leave”.

“Over the next few days they will make it clear to Musharraf that a protracted battle against impeachment is not in Pakistan’s interests,” the unnamed official claimed.

One of the main arbiters of power in Pakistan, the Army has already publicly declared that the military would take a “neutral” stand on the country’s domestic politics.

Meanwhile, the ruling coalition has called a session of the National Assembly on Monday even as Musharraf ruled out dissolving the House to overcome the crisis facing him.

The 342-member Lower House will meet at 5 PM on August 11 for a session that will decide the fate of the 64-year-old Musharraf who himself issued the notification at the behest of the PPP-led ruling coalition which is moving for his impeachment.

Amid mounting speculation about how he would handle the challenge, Musharraf pledged to face the impeachment motion in a “democratic spirit” and not to use his constitutional powers to dissolve the Assembly.