Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent | August 16, 2008
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf, widely believed to be on the point of quitting, was reported last night to be planning to "do a Putin"and run for political office after he resigns.
Supporters in the so-called king's party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid), said they believed that if he did step aside, he would seek a party political role as the former Russian president now Prime Minister Vladimir Putin secured earlier this year.
"He wants a role in the country's politics after leaving the presidency," the Dawn News television quoted PML(Q) officials as saying.
Mr Musharraf, a crucial ally in the war against Islamic extremism for almost nine years, is widely expected to quit in the next two days, ahead of impeachment charges due to be filed against him in parliament on Monday.
Reports that negotiations are under way over a deal with the civilian Government seeking to drive him from office were confirmed last night by one of his closest confidants, former information minister Tariq Azim.
Mr Azim said negotiations were under way to enable Mr Musharraf to resign rather than take the nuclear-armed nation beset by a full-scale onslaught from al-Qa'ida and Taliban-linked militants through a protracted and costly impeachment process.
"Talks are under way, and many people are interested that the issue be settled amicably without going into the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf," said Mr Azim.
This provided the first attributed confirmation from those close to the former military dictator of the talks.
"The impeachment process, which can last months, will be very damaging, especially for the country's economy.
"The purpose of these talks is to settle the issue and there
are many other options under consideration," Mr Azim said.
Such considerations included Mr Musharraf becoming a figurehead president stripped of the power to dissolve parliament or appoint army commanders.
The prospect of Mr Musharraf leaving the presidency to become a politician adds a tantalising dimension to the rapidly evolving drama of what most believe is his imminent resignation.
Polls show he has few supporters, giving him between 4 per cent and 10 per cent backing among Pakistan's 160 million people. But with the nation's political turmoil matched by its parlous economy, many believe there could, in time, be a backlash against an administration widely derided as incompetent and riven by dissension.
The notion of Mr Musharraf becoming a civilian politician has been aired previously, but takes on new momentum given the imminence of his presidential resignation.
For the record, spokesmen for Mr Musharraf were last night denying he was negotiating a deal to step down in return for an immunity from prosecution.
Despite these denials, even officials of the dominant Pakistan People's Party were last night confirming that talks were under way, with no certainty about when they might be concluded.
"The denials mean no more than that Musharraf is holding out for a deal, and that he doesn't want to create the impression that he's caved in and is on his way out," one analyst in Islamabad told The Weekend Australian.
Adding to the drama, PML(Q) officials, who visited their besieged leader at his fortified office at military headquarters in the Rawalpindi cantonment, said he believed even if he did step down "that may lead to military intervention".
But throughout this crisis, the 600,000-strong army led by former ISI spy agency boss General Ashfaq Kayani has steadfastly refused to be drawn in to the political battle. Many believe, however, the army remains fiercely loyal to their former commander and that at the slightest hint of an attempt to humiliate him, it could yet move to impose its will on the administration.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf, widely believed to be on the point of quitting, was reported last night to be planning to "do a Putin"and run for political office after he resigns.
Supporters in the so-called king's party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid), said they believed that if he did step aside, he would seek a party political role as the former Russian president now Prime Minister Vladimir Putin secured earlier this year.
"He wants a role in the country's politics after leaving the presidency," the Dawn News television quoted PML(Q) officials as saying.
Mr Musharraf, a crucial ally in the war against Islamic extremism for almost nine years, is widely expected to quit in the next two days, ahead of impeachment charges due to be filed against him in parliament on Monday.
Reports that negotiations are under way over a deal with the civilian Government seeking to drive him from office were confirmed last night by one of his closest confidants, former information minister Tariq Azim.
Mr Azim said negotiations were under way to enable Mr Musharraf to resign rather than take the nuclear-armed nation beset by a full-scale onslaught from al-Qa'ida and Taliban-linked militants through a protracted and costly impeachment process.
"Talks are under way, and many people are interested that the issue be settled amicably without going into the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf," said Mr Azim.
This provided the first attributed confirmation from those close to the former military dictator of the talks.
"The impeachment process, which can last months, will be very damaging, especially for the country's economy.
"The purpose of these talks is to settle the issue and there
are many other options under consideration," Mr Azim said.
Such considerations included Mr Musharraf becoming a figurehead president stripped of the power to dissolve parliament or appoint army commanders.
The prospect of Mr Musharraf leaving the presidency to become a politician adds a tantalising dimension to the rapidly evolving drama of what most believe is his imminent resignation.
Polls show he has few supporters, giving him between 4 per cent and 10 per cent backing among Pakistan's 160 million people. But with the nation's political turmoil matched by its parlous economy, many believe there could, in time, be a backlash against an administration widely derided as incompetent and riven by dissension.
The notion of Mr Musharraf becoming a civilian politician has been aired previously, but takes on new momentum given the imminence of his presidential resignation.
For the record, spokesmen for Mr Musharraf were last night denying he was negotiating a deal to step down in return for an immunity from prosecution.
Despite these denials, even officials of the dominant Pakistan People's Party were last night confirming that talks were under way, with no certainty about when they might be concluded.
"The denials mean no more than that Musharraf is holding out for a deal, and that he doesn't want to create the impression that he's caved in and is on his way out," one analyst in Islamabad told The Weekend Australian.
Adding to the drama, PML(Q) officials, who visited their besieged leader at his fortified office at military headquarters in the Rawalpindi cantonment, said he believed even if he did step down "that may lead to military intervention".
But throughout this crisis, the 600,000-strong army led by former ISI spy agency boss General Ashfaq Kayani has steadfastly refused to be drawn in to the political battle. Many believe, however, the army remains fiercely loyal to their former commander and that at the slightest hint of an attempt to humiliate him, it could yet move to impose its will on the administration.
Source: The Australian
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