8/17/2008: Intel News Brief: Musharraf told to resign by Wednesday;
Faces impeachment & Criminal Charges:

Pakistan's embattled president, General Pervez Musharraf, has been
given an ultimatum to step down by Wednesday or face impeachment and
criminal charges.

Senior government sources confirmed yesterday that Musharraf’s
successor as army chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, had assured him
that no charges would be brought if the president went quietly and
quickly. But Kayani has indicated that the army will not step in to
save Musharraf if he refuses to resign.

Sources close to the president said last night that he was still in
fighting mood and determined to answer all charges. But they hinted
that he may quit if he is convinced that charges will be dropped and
if he is allowed to remain in Pakistan.

Last week Britain, the United States and Saudi Arabia were making
vigorous efforts to piece together a deal under which Musharraf would
be allowed to go “humanely”.

According to diplomatic sources in Islamabad, Sir Mark Lyall Grant,
Britain’s former high commissioner to Pakistan, met Musharraf with a
message from the British government that it was “time to go”.

Other meetings with Musharraf’s old enemy Nawaz Sharif, the former
prime minister whom he overthrew in his 1999 coup, were aimed at
persuading him to accept a “safe passage” agreement to resign without
facing trial.

Aides to Sharif, a key player in the ruling coalition, said he had
resisted requests from Lyall Grant, Saudi Arabia and the US to show
“flexibility” and back a “dignified exit” for Musharraf. Britain, the
United States and Kayani all fear the possibility of a court case in
which the president’s often controversial role in the war on terror
would be exposed.

The government has prepared a charge sheet, which includes accusations
that Musharraf let the United States breach Pakistan’s sovereignty by
bombing terror suspects on its soil. It also accuses him of handing
over Pakistani citizens accused of terrorism to America in return for
payments to his security services. “The Americans don’t want their
dirty linen washed in public,” said a source.

In addition he would face charges over the sacking of the country’s
top judges when he introduced emergency rule last November.

Western diplomats in Islamabad believe the wrangling between the two
main partners in the government coalition – Asif Zardari, widower of
the assassinated Benazir Bhutto, and Sharif – over Musharraf’s future
is distracting Pakistan from the war on terror.

“It has been like having no government,” said a diplomat. “No one has
been taking any decisions and they must now start to act.”

Sources confirmed that President George W Bush and other senior
administration figures refused to take Musharraf’s telephone calls
last week to reinforce the message that he no longer enjoys their
support.

Officials say Bush discussed Musharraf’s future with Yousuf Raza
Gilani, Pakistan’s prime minister, at a summit in Egypt in May. When
Gilani told Bush that his government wanted to sack Musharraf, Bush
asked for time to consider. When Gilani visited America last month, he
got his answer. “Make it humane,” Bush is said to have told him.

The prime obstacle to a deal has been Musharraf’s pride and Sharif’s
desire for revenge. Sharif wants Musharraf’s fate to deter future
dictators. “He wants Musharraf to be brought to justice, to discourage
future army chiefs, and he wants his pound of flesh,” said a source.

If that happens, Musharraf is determined to “broaden the
accountability” by revealing details of corruption cases against
Zardari and other leading politicians.
Source: Morning Intel News Brief via Internal Company News Wire-Times-
UK