| Pervez Musharraf resigns as Pakistan's President |
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Facing an imminent impeachment, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Monday announced his resignation maintaining that he wanted to avoid the country being put into instability and confrontation.
"No impeachment or no chargesheet can stand against me.... But I think this is not the time for individual bravado... this is the time for serious thought. "In the interest of the country, I have decided to resign. The resignation will reach the National Assembly Speaker shortly," the 65-year-old former army chief said in an emotional internationally televised address.
Musharraf's decision brings to an end a bitter confrontation between the presidency and the five-month-old PPP-led coalition government that has been gunning for him since its victory in the February 18 elections.
With his announcement, all speculation about his putting up a fight in Parliament has ended but still it was not clear whether he would be given any immunity while he stays in Pakistan or a safe passage.
The ruling coalition, especially PML (N) chief Nawaz Sharif who was dethroned by Musharraf in an October 1999 bloodless coup and PPP chief chief Asif Ali Zardari, had asked him to quit to avoid being impeached.
His spokesmen had always maintained that he would not quit under pressure and would face the impeachment, a motion regarding which was to be tabled in National Assembly on Tuesday.
Musharraf was to be charged with various wrongdoings including violation of Constitution, murder of democracy and economic misconduct.
In his address, Musharraf asserted that all his decisions during his nine-year rule were in "national interest" as he recounted the "achievements" in all areas. "Now, they want to impeach me. Are they afraid of my Constitutional powers? Impeachment and chargesheet is Parliament's right. To give a reply is my right.
"No chargesheet can stand against me. No charge can be proved against me. I have this much confident in myself because I have not done anything for myself. Whatever I have done, I have done for Pakistan, its people. Whatever the chargesheet I have no fear," Musharraf said.
"But questions arise as to what impact the impeachment will have on the country. Whether the country will descend into further instability and confrontation. Whether the office of Presidency should come under pressure. Should it come under impeachment procedure?"
He said whether he won or lost, the country would stand to lose if the impeachment was undertaken. "The dignity of the office of the president will be affected.... The country's dignity will be maintained."
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