Musharraf May Give Up His Hold on Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 29, 2008 — -- Behind-the-scenes negotiations to remove President Pervez Musharraf from office appear to have moved into the final stage, according to Pakistani military and political leaders close to the events.

"They are working out the final modalities," said a military official, who would not give his name because he was not authorized to speak to the media. "He is working to get a guarantee of safe passage out of Pakistan."

Musharraf, a former army chief who took power in a 1999 coup, released a statement Thursday denying he was planning to resign, saying he wanted to "create a climate of reconciliation."

However, analysts and officials alike agreed Musharraf had come to the end of his tumultuous political career.

"He has been put into a corner," said Lt. Gen. Asad Durrrani, a former spy chief, who said Musharraf should have resigned after the party backing him was trounced in the February 18 general elections. Musharraf, whom the US considers a vital ally in the war on terror, stepped down as army chief last year after briefly imposing martial law.

Speculation that Musharraf was on his way out has captured headlines and consumed the airwaves in this news-obsessed nation since a prominent newspaper reported Thursday that the president had decided to "call it a day."

The News, an English-language daily, reported that the decision followed a late-night meeting between Musharraf and Lt. Gen Ashfaq Kayani, the army chief who replaced him. Spokesmen for the Pakistani military and Musharraf have both confirmed the meeting, but insist that the two men discussed routine matters.

On Wednesday, Kayani replaced the commander in charge of the brigade which oversees security of Pakistan's army headquarters, where Musharraf continues to reside. The former commander was a Musharraf loyalist.

Analysts say the change in command further isolates Musharraf and may be a preview to his final exit.

"People are fed up," Farhatullah Babar, a spokesman for the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was quoted as saying on the Dawn TV channel. "The president should resign before he is impeached."

The PPP leads a coalition of moderate political parties which won February elections. Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister who leads his own faction of the Muslim League PML(N), has been pushing for the National Assembly to impeach Musharraf, although that would require support from two-thirds of lawmakers.

A group of retired army officers, including former army chiefs, has held rare protests calling for Musharraf to step down, saying his determination to cling to power has damaged the reputation of the Pakistani Army.

Pakistan's stock market and currency have plummeted in recent weeks amid the growing political uncertainty.

Meanwhile, many ordinary Pakistanis complain that politicians have wasted three months since the elections bickering over Musharraf's fate, rather than addressing more pressing issues such as rising food and fuel prices.