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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Musharraf faces impeachment bid | Musharraf faces impeachment bid |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan's ruling coalition parties say they will begin impeachment proceedings against President Pervez Musharraf. | Pakistan's ruling coalition parties say they will begin impeachment proceedings against President Pervez Musharraf. |
| Party leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif made the announcement after three days of talks. They would need a two-thirds majority to impeach. | Party leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif made the announcement after three days of talks. They would need a two-thirds majority to impeach. |
| Mr Musharraf took power in a bloodless coup in 1999. | Mr Musharraf took power in a bloodless coup in 1999. |
| He gave up control of the army last year and his allies were defeated in February's elections but he retains the power to dissolve parliament. | He gave up control of the army last year and his allies were defeated in February's elections but he retains the power to dissolve parliament. |
| Mr Musharraf has previously said he would resign rather than face impeachment proceedings but he has made no comment yet on the latest move. | Mr Musharraf has previously said he would resign rather than face impeachment proceedings but he has made no comment yet on the latest move. |
| The BBC's Mark Dummett in Islamabad says an impeachment would take Pakistani politics into new territory, since no Pakistani leader has faced it before. | The BBC's Mark Dummett in Islamabad says an impeachment would take Pakistani politics into new territory, since no Pakistani leader has faced it before. |
| Sacked judges | Sacked judges |
| Mr Zardari, of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and the PML-N's Narwaz Sharif announced the impeachment move at a press conference in Islamabad. | Mr Zardari, of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and the PML-N's Narwaz Sharif announced the impeachment move at a press conference in Islamabad. |
| Mr Zardari said: "We have good news for democracy. The coalition believes it is imperative to move for impeachment against General Musharraf." | Mr Zardari said: "We have good news for democracy. The coalition believes it is imperative to move for impeachment against General Musharraf." |
| STEPS TO IMPEACHMENT Impeachment proposers need 50% majority in Senate or National AssemblyPresident given notice of impeachment, and has three days to respondJoint session of Senate and Assembly must be held between 7 and 14 days later to investigate chargesIf resolution presented, joint session must approve with two-thirds majority | |
| Mr Zardari, the widower of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, derided Mr Musharraf's economic policies, adding: "He has worked to undermine the transition to democracy." | Mr Zardari, the widower of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, derided Mr Musharraf's economic policies, adding: "He has worked to undermine the transition to democracy." |
| He also warned Mr Musharraf not to dissolve parliament, saying: "If he does it, it will be his last verdict against the people." | He also warned Mr Musharraf not to dissolve parliament, saying: "If he does it, it will be his last verdict against the people." |
| Mr Sharif said: "Pakistan cannot afford to see democracy derailed, this is not the same Pakistan as was the case in the 1980s and 1990s. People will not accept it now." | Mr Sharif said: "Pakistan cannot afford to see democracy derailed, this is not the same Pakistan as was the case in the 1980s and 1990s. People will not accept it now." |
| The leaders say they will also move to have Mr Musharraf face votes of confidence in the national and four provincial assemblies. | The leaders say they will also move to have Mr Musharraf face votes of confidence in the national and four provincial assemblies. |
| Our correspondent says these will not be enough to dislodge President Musharraf but might weaken him ahead of any impeachment showdown. | Our correspondent says these will not be enough to dislodge President Musharraf but might weaken him ahead of any impeachment showdown. |
| Impeachment would need a two-thirds majority in the upper and lower houses of the national assembly but, our correspondent says, getting those numbers might be difficult. | Impeachment would need a two-thirds majority in the upper and lower houses of the national assembly but, our correspondent says, getting those numbers might be difficult. |
| The two leaders also promised to restore judges sacked under Mr Musharraf's emergency rule once impeachment was successful. | The two leaders also promised to restore judges sacked under Mr Musharraf's emergency rule once impeachment was successful. |
| How to proceed on that issue had caused deep divisions between the two coalition parties since the elections. | How to proceed on that issue had caused deep divisions between the two coalition parties since the elections. |
| Military role | Military role |
| Mr Musharraf had been scheduled to attend the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing but has cancelled his trip and will be replaced by Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani. | Mr Musharraf had been scheduled to attend the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing but has cancelled his trip and will be replaced by Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani. |
| Mr Musharraf was elected president for a five-year term last October in a controversial parliamentary vote. | Mr Musharraf was elected president for a five-year term last October in a controversial parliamentary vote. |
| One presidential source told Agence France-Presse news agency Mr Musharraf was discussing a course of action and had the options of dissolving parliament or imposing emergency rule again. | One presidential source told Agence France-Presse news agency Mr Musharraf was discussing a course of action and had the options of dissolving parliament or imposing emergency rule again. |
| The president is still thought to have heavy influence over the military and its reaction will remain crucial. | The president is still thought to have heavy influence over the military and its reaction will remain crucial. |
| Pakistan has been ruled by military leaders for more than half of its existence since Partition in 1947. | Pakistan has been ruled by military leaders for more than half of its existence since Partition in 1947. |