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Musharraf to attend Beijing Games | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics as planned, the foreign ministry has said. | |
A statement made clear he would leave for China on Thursday. Earlier, the foreign ministry said Mr Musharraf had cancelled the trip but gave no reason. | |
Pakistan's ruling alliance is meeting to discuss his possible impeachment. | |
The president's allies were defeated in elections earlier this year. He has so far resisted pressure to quit. | |
China is one of Pakistan's closest allies, and it would have been highly unusual for a Pakistani leader to call off a visit at such short notice. | |
The foreign ministry: "In view of our special relations with China, the president has decided to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. The president will now leave for China tomorrow." | |
Opponents' moves | |
Pakistan's governing alliance leaders have been meeting to discuss possible impeachment, as well as the restoration of judges the president sacked during a state of emergency in November. | |
The two sides have agreed to draw up a joint charge sheet against the president... and ask him to defend himself before parliament Khwaja Asif, PML-N Q&A: Pakistan's judges | The two sides have agreed to draw up a joint charge sheet against the president... and ask him to defend himself before parliament Khwaja Asif, PML-N Q&A: Pakistan's judges |
Leaders of the two main alliance partners - the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) - say they are close to an agreement to impeach Mr Musharraf. | |
Talks have so far been inconclusive but alliance leaders said they had reached a broad agreement to dispense with the president. | |
"The two sides have agreed to draw up a joint charge sheet against the president on the basis of available evidence, and ask him to defend himself before the parliament," Khwaja Asif of the PML-N told Geo TV. | "The two sides have agreed to draw up a joint charge sheet against the president on the basis of available evidence, and ask him to defend himself before the parliament," Khwaja Asif of the PML-N told Geo TV. |
PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar told reporters there was a growing feeling among the alliance leaders that Mr Musharraf was "no longer acceptable to the people of Pakistan". | PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar told reporters there was a growing feeling among the alliance leaders that Mr Musharraf was "no longer acceptable to the people of Pakistan". |
Mr Musharraf's political allies were defeated in February elections, from which the PPP emerged as the largest party in the country. | Mr Musharraf's political allies were defeated in February elections, from which the PPP emerged as the largest party in the country. |
Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif are meeting on Wednesday | |
In second place was the PML-N of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whom President Musharraf ousted in a 1999 coup. | |
The two parties formed an alliance in March, but have since been split over the issues of presidential impeachment and the reinstatement of the sacked judges. | The two parties formed an alliance in March, but have since been split over the issues of presidential impeachment and the reinstatement of the sacked judges. |
The PML-N pulled out of the federal cabinet in May when the PPP refused to move immediately on these issues. | The PML-N pulled out of the federal cabinet in May when the PPP refused to move immediately on these issues. |
The rift has caused a sense of paralysis in the government, which is under huge US pressure to curb attacks by Taleban and al-Qaeda militants based near the Afghan border. | The rift has caused a sense of paralysis in the government, which is under huge US pressure to curb attacks by Taleban and al-Qaeda militants based near the Afghan border. |