Pak coalition agrees to offer indemnity and security to Musharraf

Islamabad, Aug 15 : If sources close to the parleys between the Presidency and the PPP-PML-N combine are to be believed, the coalition government has offered indemnity and security to President Pervez Musharraf if he stepped down from Presidency before Impeachment proceedings begin Monday.

According to the sources, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif has agreed to change his rigid stance against the President who is likely to finalise a decision in the next few days.

After a meeting, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and ANP chief Asfandyar Wali said that they gave more importance to the moral aspects than the legal ones, the Daily Times quoted the sources as saying.

Wali said that the outcome of impeachment would be no different from those of previous military rulers, "but did not elaborate the statement", added the paper.

Three of the four provincial Assemblies have already passed resolutions demanding of the President to take a vote-of-confidence from his electoral-college or resign. They said that if Musharraf doesn't resign, the coalition government would impeach him under Article 47 of the Constitution.

The two major partners in the coalition - PPP and PML-N - announced that they would restore the sacked judges after negotiations in Murree, but could not agree on a framework. In more recent "make-or-break" negotiations, the two parties agreed on impeaching President Musharraf before restoring the judges.

ANI