Musharraf may get indemnity if resigns

Islamabad, Aug.17 : If Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf opts to resign from office; Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's coalition government is willing to forgive all his acts, sources privy to the latest developments told Daily Times.

They prime minister or the federal cabinet is likely to send a summary to the president in this regard, and if he signs it, the Law Ministry will notify it," they added.

The sources said the proposal was being considered under Article 48 of the Constitution, which binds the president to act on advice of the cabinet or the prime minister.

The government's legal advisers are considering the proposal in the wake of a continuing political impasse in the country and the president's refusal to resign without "blanket immunity" for all his acts while he held the office of the head of state.

Article 48(2) says: "The President shall act in his discretion in respect of any matter in respect of which he is empowered by the Constitution to do so and the validity of anything done by the President in his discretion shall not be called in question on any ground whatsoever."

Former Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan Niazi says Article 248 of the Constitution already provides immunity to the president, and he is "not answerable to any court for the exercise of power and performance of functions of their respective offices or for any act done or purported to be done in the exercise of those powers and performance of those functions".

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, however, told reporters in Multan on Saturday that the president has to take a decision about his resignation over the weekend.

He claimed that the United States and Pakistan Army "stand with the Constitution" on the impeachment of the president.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief Muqrin Bin Abdul Aziz is in akistan to ensure "an amicable resolution" on the issue of Musharraf's impeachment and to ensure that no one becomes a laughing stock.

Presidential spokesman Rashid Qureshi was quoted by the paper as saying on Saturday that the president would not step down, but his allies and the coalition leaders say talks are underway to persuade him to resign.

ANI