Loyalists split on Musharraf fighting impeachment move

ISLAMABAD — As the beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf wrestles with his options over the impending impeachment move, his staunchest loyalists are divided over whether he should step down honourably or defend himself in the Parliament.
In a startling statement, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who was always regarded as closest to Musharraf as a federal minister, urged Musharraf to resign saying the motion will be passed as the ruling coalition has the numbers on its side. Besides the president cannot bank on army support if he dissolves the assemblies under Article 58-2 B.
"President Musharraf cannot use the dissolution power under prevalent domestic and international situation," Rashid said adding: “The army will also not support it. Rashid said the ruling coalition would win the number-game, and that the president had three options — to face impeachment, use Article 58(2) B or resign.
"It is better for Musharraf to say goodbye,” Rashid observed while predicting that the coalition would split on the name of new president and an imminent crisis is likely to grip the country within next two months," he said.
But PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain who met Musharraf on Friday said the president must face the impeachment motion and expressed confidence the ruling coalition will not be able to muster the requisite two-thirds majority.
Party's secretary-general, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, was also equally emphatic that the president must defend himself against the charges and said he had a good case. He said Musharraf is not involved in any scandal as against his present accusers. He acknowledged that the president made mistakes, particularly during the last year on the issues of judges and emergency, but said: "We paid the price in the elections."
There were, however, signs of split in the party and several MPs have reportedly begun contacts with the ruling coalition assuring them support. A veteran PML-Q MP from southern Punjab, Sardar Bahadar Khan appearing in a TV programme urged Musharraf to resign. He claimed that he is reflecting sentiments of a group of sixteen MPs of the PML-Q.
“The president must save the country from the agony of another period of uncertainty and instability," he said.
The impeachment resolution requires 295 votes to pass in a joint session of the Parliament. While the coalition has a strength of 303 it hopes to enlist support of a sizeable members of pro-Musharraf PML-Q who would vote for the motion.
Meanwhile, Bruce Riedel, an aide of former US President Bill Clinton, currently associated with leading US think-tank Brookings Institution, has said that while there is "tremendous sympathy" for President Pervez Musharraf, it may not extend to Congress, nor is the Pakistani leader "indispensable" either to the war on terror or Pakistan's role in the war on terror.
British Daily Telegraph has said that the army chief, Gen. Pervez Kayani, will ask Musharraf to resign in a week. The paper cited an unidentified "senior government official", and said the army wants Musharraf "to be spared the humiliation of impeachment".
A senior official from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) told The Telegraph that the army has "whispered" in Musharraf's ear that it is time to leave. "Over the next few days they will make it clear to (Musharraf) that a protracted battle (against impeachment) is not in Pakistan's interests," he added.