India and Pakistan have a real opportunity to take relations forward after the exit of President Pervez Musharraf, feels Adrian Levy, co-author of Deception: Pakistan, the United States and the Global Nuclear Weapons Conspiracy.
President Pervez Musharraf has declared a state of emergency in Pakistan, the state run PTV reported on Saturday evening. He issued the provisional constitutional ordinance in his capacity as the chief of the army staff. Immediately after the announcement, army troops entered the Supreme Court building in Islamabad. Reports said that, Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry is likely to be removed from his post. Reports also suggested that Chaudhry has been detained.
Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti, who heads a faction of the Jamhoori Watan Party, submitted an application to Quetta city police station for lodging an FIR against Musharraf in connection with the murder of his father and 66 other people of his tribe.
Pakistan's leading newspapers on Tuesday said former President Pervez Musharraf's exit from the country's top post was 'inevitable' and wondered why he took so long to step down, while pointing out the need for the nation to move on.
In a statement made available to rediff.com, Obama, said, 'Musharraf has made the right decision to step down as President of Pakistan. It is in the interests of his country and the Pakistani people to end the political crisis that has immobilized the coalition government for too long.'
The Pakistan Cricket Board chief Nasim Ashraf quit on Monday in what is seen as one of the first fall-outs following the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf. Ashraf's resignation was announced by the PCB just an hour after Musharraf resigned.
"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.
"President Musharraf has been a good ally and everyone knows that we disagreed with his decision in terms of the state of emergency that he declared. But he was just to his word, he took off his uniform. It is now a democratic government in Pakistan," she said. "I want to keep our focus on what we must do with the democratic government of Pakistan," she said while answering a question on the political crisis in Pakistan.
No former army general would be appointed at the head of a caretaker government in Pakistan, media reports said. It has also been decided that the federal and provincial cabinets would not comprise armed forces personnel and intelligence agencies have been issued orders not to interfere in the upcoming general elections, The News quoted highly placed sources as saying.
The Al Qaeda has launched a blistering attack on Pakistan's beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf accusing him of betraying Muslims by supporting the US-led war in Afghanistan.
The US may not want to interfere in the impeachment process against President Pervez Musharraf terming it an internal affair, but is apparently willing to help ensure "full indemnity" and "honourable stay" in Pakistan for its key ally in the war on terror should he agree to quit.
Saudi Arabia is pressing Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to allow former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to return home before the upcoming general elections, media reports said.
India's political system came in for praise on Monday in Pakistan's Supreme Court, with the country being described as a "good example of a democratic state" with politicians exhibiting the virtue of tolerance.
The US, which backed President Pervez Musharraf for aiding the 'war on terror', on Friday said the decision to impeach the embattled leader is an "internal matter" of Pakistan, but must be "consistent with the rule of law and their constitution."
Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto is eyeing several key posts in the proposed interim set up to conduct general elections in the country.
Warning that any move to impeach him could 'destabilise the country', 64-year-old Musharraf, who abruptly cancelled his visit to China to attend the Olympic Games opening, told leaders of his ally Pakistan Muslim League-Q that he would continue to play his constitutional role as the head of State.
The prime minister wished her well during the telephonic talk, his media adviser Sanjaya Baru said. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee also spoke to Bhutto and condemned the dastardly act.
Amid pressure from India and the US to rein in the Inter-Services Intelligence, President Pervez Musharraf has come to its rescue saying any attempt to target the spy agency will weaken Pakistan as it is "the first line of defence" and lashed out at his detractors for calling him an American stooge.
President Pervez Musharraf has asked former prime minister Benazir Bhutto to delay her return to Pakistan from a self-imposed exile till the Supreme Court decides on petitions challenging his re-election.
All the behind the scenes drama and the between the lines intrigue from Pakistan, a day before the presidential poll.
Sharif's statement comes a day after Musharraf expressed his willingness to drop cases against Nawaz Sharif as well as leaders of other political parties under the National Reconciliation Ordinance. Benazir Bhutto was also offered amnesty by Pakistan.
Pervez Musharraf has expressed willingness to drop the cases pending against Nawaz Sharif and other political leaders as part of his national reconciliation efforts. His comments came a day after former premier Benazir Bhutto was offered amnesty.
Political turmoil and a spate of attacks by Taliban are forcing Pakistan President Musharraf to scale back his government's pursuit of al Qaeda, US intelligence officials say.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League will field a person from each province as covering candidate for Gen Musharraf in the presidential poll, he said.
The US has said the Bush administration's continuing support for the military ruler for short-term benefits will only make a bad problem worse
The US on Wednesday said the issue of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's plans to doff his uniform after re-election is a matter for the Pakistanis to work out within the "confines of their laws and Constitution."
The lawyer who successfully defended Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaurdhry has warned that a turmoil will break out the moment the General files his nomination for the forthcoming election.
Bhutto, who might face corruption charges on her return to Pakistan, said she felt confident that the people of Pakistan will rally around her because they wanted democracy restored.
Bhutto's return after the Presidential election, expected to take place before October 15, adds to the political turmoil in Pakistan.
The United States has advised former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif to adopt a lenient view on the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf and let him determine his own future.The US advice came as Assistant Secretary of state Richard Boucher met Sharif at the Raiwind farm house near Lahore on Tuesday.He said the US should let Pakistan settle its issues by itself. He added if the US could not facilitate Pakistan, it should not interfere in its internal affairs.
Sharif has been deported to Saudi Arabia.
Pervez Musharraf's re-election as president looks fanciful. Nawaz Sharif senses it is time to strike.
The joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism met for the third time after it was set up in line with a decision taken during a meeting between President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the margins of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Havana in September 2006. According to reports, India may raise the recent terror attacks in Jaipur, Ajmer and Hyderabad in the meeting while Pakistan is expected to sought details of last year's Samjhauta Express blast.
Pakistan's embattled President Pervez Musharraf is seeking to step down if given indemnity for all his questionable actions under the Constitution.President Musharraf has decided to resign from his office after the lawyers' long march on June 13, where PML-N chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had pledged to hold him accountable at all costs. Recently, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari revealed that the future President would hail from his party.
With Pakistan's ruling coalition gunning for President Pervez Musharraf, the United States has said that he made a "number of mistakes" during his eight-year reign including imposing a state of emergency last year.
Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto has won British and American support for her efforts to enter into a power-sharing 'deal' with President Pervez Musharraf before the forthcoming general elections.
The petition points out that according to the Army Regulation Act of Pakistan, Musharraf should have retired on August 10, 2003.
"Pakistan is fighting a war against terrorism on principles. India blaming Pakistan for Mumbai bomb blasts is regrettable," Musharraf said during a meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
Nawaz Sharif's brother Shahbaz may hold talks with Pakistani Army generals soon to negotiate a deal before the deposed premier returns home, most probably on September 9, a leading daily reported on Monday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances