Pervez Musharraf resigns

“I might have made some mistakes, but the people of Pakistan will forgive me,” said the departing Pakistan president in a televised speech to the nation Monday, Aug. 18. He thus avoided the coalition parties’ efforts to make him the first Pakistani president to be impeached. Mohammed Mian Soomro, chairman of the Senate and a Musharraf loyalist, replaces him temporarily pending a parliamentary vote to choose a new president within 30 days.
Saudi envoys are reportedly in Islamabad to broker a deal for his safe passage and sanctuary. Musharraf has always been a major target for Taliban and al Qaeda, as partner in the US war on terror. This partnership brought Pakistan massive US aid for building the economy and national infrastructure.
Musharraf defended his nine years in power since he led a military coup which removed the first administration of the incumbent prime minister Nawaz Sharif on charges of corruption.
He said his work will have long-term benefits for the nation and appealed to the government to halt the country’s downward spiral to a failed state.
Musharraf accused his attackers of laying false accusations against him and deceiving people. They are making things worse for Pakistan, he said.