Ex-Brit envoy in Pak fails to persuade Nawaz to give Musharraf a "safe exit"

Lahore, Aug 15 : A former British high commissioner in Pakistan reportedly tried to persuade former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif to grant a safe exit to President Pervez Musharraf, here last evening. But, the latter is learnt to have turned down the request, telling the ex-envoy that Musharraf should either resign or face impeachment.

Nawaz told him that three of the four provincial assemblies in the country had already passed resolutions demanding Musharraf to seek vote-of-confidence or face impeachment.

According to The News, the former British envoy in Islamabad Mark Lyall Grant, who is currently director general of the Political Directorate of UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, met Nawaz to negotiate the possibility of providing safe passage to Musharraf, who is facing threat of impeachment.

Nawaz is learnt to have told the former British high commissioner that the President should resign immediately if he wants to avoid impeachment.

Grant, who reached Islamabad on Monday evening, is meeting with top political leadership of Pakistan to settle the ongoing political crisis amicably. He met with President Pervez Musharraf at his camp office on Tuesday. The president was said to have made clear upon him that he was prepared to face the impeachment, as he had done nothing wrong, The News quoted sources privy to the meetings said.

ANI