President Pervez Musharraf announced in a televised address to the nation Monday that he had decided to resign after nine years in power to avoid the threat of impeachment.
"After viewing the situation and consulting legal advisers and political allies, with their advice I have decided to resign," a grim-faced Musharraf said, backed by Pakistani flags and a portrait of the country's founder.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation Monday after weeks of pressure to relinquish power.
Musharraf told the nation in a televised address that he would step down -- early nine years after he seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999.
"I don't want the people of Pakistan to slide deeper and deeper into uncertainty," Musharraf said.
"For the interest of the nation, I have decided to resign as president," he said. "I am not asking for anything. I will let the people of Pakistan decide my future."
Local media reports said Musharraf had been granted "safe passage" out of the country.
A spokeswoman for the ruling Pakistan People's Party did not rule out that possibility.
"The decision to give a safe passage to the president is on discretion of the coalition leadership," Sherry Rehman told reporters Sunday.
Until now, Musharraf, 65, had stubbornly resisted pressure to resign. But his power had eroded since parties opposed to his rule swept to victory in February'a parliamentary elections.
Musharraf spent a large part of his speech delivering a state-of-the-union style list of Pakistan's "accomplishments" under his rule. He contrasted it with what he called the deteriorating economic situation now.
"After the elections, the nation wanted solutions from the new government," he said. "But the politicians could not do so. A personal vendetta was started."
The ruling coalition ratcheted up its attempts last week to force Musharraf to step down or face impeachment.
The turbulent career of Pervez Musharraf - 18 Aug 08
Last edited by genial.soul on Aug 18, 2008, edited 1 time in total.
