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Pakistan's Musharraf steps down Pakistan's Musharraf steps down
(about 2 hours later)
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, facing impeachment by parliament, has announced that he is resigning.Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, facing impeachment by parliament, has announced that he is resigning.
In a national televised address he said he was confident the charges against him would not stand, but this was not the time for more confrontation. In a national televised address he said he was confident the charges against him would not stand, but that this was not the time for more confrontation.
The charges against the president include violation of the constitution and gross misconduct.The charges against the president include violation of the constitution and gross misconduct.
He has been one of the United States' strongest allies in its war against Islamist extremism. Mr Musharraf has been a key ally of the US in its war against Islamist extremism, following the 9/11 attacks.
His political rivals swept to power last February in national and provincial elections after months of political confrontation and worsening militant violence.
The BBC's Chris Morris in Islamabad says Mr Musharraf's resignation marks the end of an era for a country facing enormous economic and security challenges.
'No bravado''No bravado'
Looking calm and dressed soberly in a dark suit and tie, the embattled president said he had decided to resign after consulting his allies and advisers. Looking calm and dressed soberly in a dark suit and tie, President Musharraf said he had decided to resign after consulting his allies and advisers.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7567592.stm">Musharraf's mixed legacy class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7567734.stm">Resignation speech excerpts class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7567662.stm">Strongman and war on terror The tone of his speech was defiant.
Mr Musharraf said his appeals for reconciliation with his opponents had fallen on deaf ears. class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7567592.stm">Musharraf's mixed legacy class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7567734.stm">Resignation speech excerpts class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7567662.stm">Strongman and war on terror class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7567971.stm">Reaction in quotes
He was not afraid of the impeachment charges he is facing, he said. "Not a single charge can be proved against me." Mr Musharraf said he had believed it was his destiny to save Pakistan, helped by God, and that he had prevented it from being declared a terrorist state.
But he said the impeachment process would have plunged the country into more uncertainty. "This is not the time for individual bravado." In a clear reference to the leaders of the big political parties who have opposed him, Mr Musharraf said there were some elements who considered themselves more important than Pakistan and who were trying to betray the country.
He said whatever mistakes he had made in office were unintentional and that "I leave myself in the hands of the people". He said their allegations against him were false, and that his appeals for reconciliation with his opponents had fallen on deaf ears.
'False allegations' "Not a single charge can be proved against me," he said, adding that although he had make mistakes he had always put Pakistan first.
He began his address by saying that when he took over in a military coup in 1999, Pakistan was going to be declared a failed state and faced great economic challenges. Mr Musharraf said the impeachment process would have plunged the country into more uncertainty and that this was "not the time for individual bravado".
He said that "false allegations were made against me" by people who "tried to turn the truth into lies". He defended his actions since taking power in a bloodless coup in 1999, and went into elaborate detail about what, he said, were the social, economic and infrastructural improvements made during his rule. "I leave myself in the hands of the people," he said.
He gave a long defence of the country's economic record, detailing the progress he said it had made under his rule. In Pakistan, there are reports of people dancing in celebration at the news of Mr Musharraf's decision to step down.
He said the problems Pakistan faced could be solved if people worked together and believed in themselves. The BBC's Mark Dummett in Islamabad says the reaction is overwhelmingly one of relief - that a bruising and lengthy impeachment battle has been avoided.
Mr Musharraf decided to address the nation as ministers warned over the weekend that impeachment proceedings against him could begin as early as Tuesday of this week. There is also now hope that the governing parties, which defeated President Musharraf's supporters in elections in February and have pushed for his exit ever since, can now turn their attention to the most critical issues facing the country - the faltering economy and the growing threat of armed extremists.
The drive to impeach him has been led by Nawaz Sharif, the head of Pakistan's second biggest political party, the PML-N. It was Mr Sharif who President Musharraf, then head of the army, deposed in a bloodless coup in 1999. What happens next?
He was forced to give up control of the armed forces last year. President Musharraf's resignation letter will be received by the speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly - the lower house of parliament.
The president's public standing suffered a huge setback in 2007 when he sacked Pakistan's chief justice and nearly 60 judges to prevent them from overturning his re-election as president. Once the resignation is accepted, the chairman of the upper house of parliament, the Senate, will take over as acting president.
He is Muhammad Mian Sumroo, a politician from Sindh province, who belongs to the pro-Musharraf faction of the Pakistan Muslim League.
The new president must be elected by both houses of Pakistan's parliament and the four provincial assemblies.
MUSHARRAF KEY DATES 12 Oct 1999: Deposes PM Nawaz Sharif in coup20 June 2001: Names himself president while remaining head of the army12 Jan 2002: Declares war against extremism in Pakistan14 December 2003: Survives first of several assassination plots3 November 2007: Declares state of emergency before judiciary can rule on his re-election as president28 November 2007: Steps down as army chief to become a civilian president18 August 2008: Announces he will resign as president
In early international reaction, the UK prime minister's spokesman suggested that London was already moving on - UK-Pakistani relations had deepened during Mr Musharraf's presidency, he said, but those relations did not depend on individuals.
Neighbouring Afghanistan, whose own President Hamid Karzai had a very fraught relationship with Mr Musharraf, welcomed his departure.
The foreign ministry said it hoped the resignation would strengthen democracy in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In a terse statement, the Indian foreign ministry said it had no comments to make on the resignation of Pervez Musharraf since it was an internal matter for Pakistan.
The BBC's world affairs correspondent, Nick Childs, says Washington and London had got used to dealing with a single strongman, and one with whom the US and British leaders were able to develop a personal rapport.
But the governing coalition of Mr Musharraf's opponents has been notably fragile and fractious and Washington, London, and neighbouring capitals like Delhi, Kabul, and Beijing, will be watching to see who emerges as the key figure or figures and what signals they send, our correspondent says.
Mounting pressure
Mr Musharraf's resignation follows a turbulent year.
His troubles grew last year when he took on the judiciary, suspending the chief justice in March. After widespread strikes and protests, his decision was overturned by the Supreme Court.
Mr Musharraf won the presidential election in October - but the Supreme Court refused to confirm the result, saying it first had to rule on his eligibility to stand in the poll, while he remained army chief.
Eventually, in November, he declared a state of emergency, citing increasing attacks by militants.
Mr Musharraf used the new powers to replace the judges who opposed him.
But the pressure mounted, reinforced by the return of the two main opposition leaders, former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto.
He stood down as head of the army - giving up his main power base - and was sworn in as a civilian president.
Parliamentary elections, which he had already delayed, were again postponed after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto - but when they eventually went ahead in February, the two main opposition parties took a clear victory.
After lengthy talks, they agreed to form a coalition - and earlier this month struck a deal to impeach the president - a move which forced his resignation.
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