http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/18/pakistan.musharraf
Why did Pervez Musharraf resign today? In a word, politics. Ever since the country's elections in February, Musharraf's position has been in doubt. His fate was sealed when the leaders of the two biggest parties joined hands in recent weeks, saying they were determined to get rid of the former army chief. Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of the late Benazir Bhutto and leader of the Pakistan People's party, and Nawaz Sharif, the head of the powerful Pakistan Muslim League-N, who was ousted by Musharraf in 1999, had signalled they were determined to finish off the president – with a trial through parliament. The country's ruling coalition had prepared impeachment charges, accusing Musharraf of violations of the constitution and misconduct. Musharraf had few cards to play. Already deeply unpopular, he faced a lengthy legal battle to turn the tide of opinion his way. While disputing the charges, he resigned, saying he was putting Pakistan first. Did he have any allies? Too few to count. The ruling coalition needed 295 votes out of 442 in a joint sitting of both houses of parliament to impeach him. A series of votes in provincial assemblies killed Musharraf's best legal arguments, leaving the president facing an unprecedented loss of public confidence. The army had long since washed it hands of the president – aware that it might lose public faith if associated with an unpopular president. What are the roots of Musharraf's troubles? The popular anger can be traced back to December 2004 when he announced he was going back on his pledge to step down as army chief. This convinced many democrats in Pakistan that he could not be trusted. It was the president's decision in March 2007 to suspend Pakistan's supreme court chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, on allegations of misconduct that ignited a popular revolt. Lawyers rallied behind the top judge and Musharraf's popularity began to plummet as a pro-democracy campaign started. Did the lawyers' movement bring him down? The lawyers were a key partner with the politicians in finishing off Musharraf. In a controversial move last year, the president declared a state of emergency. In February's parliamentary elections his political opponents gained power. Was this revenge for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto? Many in Pakistan say Musharraf has blood on his hands. Zardari was imprisoned for six years, then permitted to leave the country to join his wife, Benazir Bhutto, in exile in Dubai. She returned last October to contest the elections. Zardari only returned after his wife's assassination in December. Bhutto had accused Musharraf of an assassination attempt last October. When she was killed two months later, many Pakistanis blamed the president. What about the "war on terror"? The west has lost its most important ally. Musharraf was widely seen as having attempted to rein in the terror groups in Pakistan – supporting the "war on terror" in Afghanistan and withdrawing support from the Islamist jihad in Indian Kashmir. Last July, after a week-long siege, Musharraf ordered troops to storm the Red Mosque in Islamabad to crush a Taliban-style movement. At least 105 people were killed. The United States says Pakistan's leadership is a Pakistani matter, but the White House must be worried about future cooperation. Will the army return to oust politicians in revenge? Unlikely. The army is hugely unpopular at home for fighting on Washington's side in the "war on terror". Likewise, it has been fingered for protecting the Taliban. The army has lost an estimated 2,000 men fighting extremists in the tribal areas and the armed forces have been targeted by suicide bombers. Where will Musharraf go? Nobody is sure. Some suggest he will be returning to Delhi, the place of his birth. Others say he would prefer going to Turkey, a Muslim country with strong secular traditions where he spent much of his childhood. The United States - where his son lives - would probably take him in. Saudi Arabia, with a history of sheltering former dictators, would make him feel very comfortable. But Musharraf's own "royalist" allies says he will stay in Pakistan – perhaps in his luxurious bungalow being built in Islamabad. Who will be the next president of Pakistan? The president is elected by the four provincial assemblies and the national parliament. Many think the role might be reduced to a ceremonial one. If the president retained substantial powers, Zardari might want the position, although he has has hinted the next president may be a woman. Analysts speculate that the ethnic Pashtun leader Asfandayr Wali Khan is a frontrunner because he is liberal and it would be a sign of national unity. *resign speech text from the Dawn: http://www.dawn.com/2008/08/18/musharraf.htm* --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
