(Pervez) Musharraf set to quit as (Pakistan) army chief

[Ian David]

Source: The Australian

Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent | August 30, 2007

PAKISTAN President Pervez Musharraf was poised yesterday to resign from his position as army chief in a power-sharing deal with exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto designed to save his embattled leadership.

The 63-year-old general's top spymaster, Lieutenant General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, returned from London yesterday with the ultimatum from Ms Bhutto.

A power-sharing deal with Ms Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan People's Party, is seen as General Musharraf's only hope of remaining in power and winning a second five-year term as President. Her precondition for the deal was that he would give up his job as army chief, step out of uniform, and seek re-election as a purely civilian president.

She is also demanding the constitutional bar on two-time former prime ministers being able to serve a third term be lifted, something that could propel her back into office, and an amnesty for corruption cases pending against all political leaders, something that is of particular importance to her.

Read more: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22329217-15084,00.html

---

See also:


Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Benazir wants share in caretaker setup

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Benazir Bhutto has proposed to the Musharraf government that one-third of the caretaker government should be from her party, and has also proposed a name for caretaker prime minister, Geo news reported on Tuesday. The channel quoted sources as saying Bhutto has also asked for a constitutional amendment allowing candidates to contest elections in absentia, from abroad. The PPP also demanded a completely autonomous election commission to ensure free and fair elections. Bhutto asked the government to respond to her proposals within the next 48 hours, the channel reported. According to Aaj television, Bhutto floated these proposals to ISI chief Gen Ashfaq Kiani. The channel quoted sources as saying that Bhutto was told that President Musharraf wanted an assurance from all parties that he would be re-elected from the present assemblies. The channel said Musharraf also demanded of the PPP that the issue regarding his uniform be set aside until after his re-election. The two sides agreed in the meeting to hold a final round of talks in the near future. daily times monitor
Courtesy DailyTimes.com.pk
http://www.pakistanlink.com/Headlines/Aug07/29/09.htm



Wednesday, August 29, 2007
MMA holds resignation option on Musharraf’s re-election: Mir

LAHORE: The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) central leadership has not decided about its members resigning from the National Assembly on the coming presidential election, MMA vice president Prof Sajjad Mir said on Tuesday. He said opposition leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman had assured the MMA central leadership that he would ‘not give a safe passage’ to President Pervez Musharraf. He told a delegation of the Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith of which Mir is the chief senator that Fazl’s recent meetings with the government representatives did not mean that he would give safe passage to Musharraf for his re-election. He said the MMA still had the option of resigning. He said the MMA did not have any internal differences and would not disintegrate. Mir said the MMA would not make electoral adjustments with the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the coming elections. Instead, it would prefer adjustments with component parties of the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), he added. The MMA had allied with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the previous general elections and it would again ally with PML-N in the coming elections, he added. He said the presidential election to re-elect Musharraf for the second term would not be possible and Musharraf would have to quit the government. He said ruling party members, except for Chaudhrys, had developed ‘difference’ with Musharraf and would ‘not support’ him in his re-election bid. staff report
Courtesy DailyTimes.com.pk
http://www.pakistanlink.com/Headlines/Aug07/29/14.htm


Bhutto reaches accord with Musharraf on his military role
The Associated Press
Published: August 29, 2007
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/29/asia/pakistan.php


Musharraf nears Pakistani power deal with Bhutto
Posted 2 hours 41 minutes ago
Updated 1 hour 49 minutes ago
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/29/2019063.htm




Negotiation with Musharraf an act of treason: Imran

Islamabad, Aug. 29 (PTI): Pakistani cricketer turned politician Imran Khan has flayed former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for attempting a deal with President Pervez Musharraf, terming it an act of "treason" that will only strengthen dictatorship in the country.

More:
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200708292176.htm


BREAKING - Musharraf to step down
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1689493

[nedbal]

1. k&r n/t

[Ian David]

2. 3. Anyone remember this episode of Stargate: SG-1?

EPISODE NUMBER - 805
ORIGINAL U.S. AIR DATE - 08.06.04
SYNDICATION AIR DATE - 10.17.05
WRITTEN BY - Damian Kindler
DIRECTED BY - Peter F. Woeste
GUEST STARRING - Matthew Bennett (Jarrod Kane), Amy Sloan (Leda), Timothy Webber (Commander Gareth), James Kidnie (Soren), Gary Jones (Technician), Richard Side (Guide), Leanne Adachi (Rebel Aide), Preston Cook (Radio Man), Charles Zuckermann (Rebel Soldier)
Daniel is stranded on another planet after the team's arrival on an alien world sparks a
violent civil war.

<snip>

Shortly after a startled tourist group witnesses the relic of their Stargate open for the first time in the middle of a museum, Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson and Teal'c step through to be greeted by delegates from the world. Many here had dismissed the possibility that the Stargate is a mystical power source for ancient gods. The team is warned that there are even those who might consider this new reality a threat.

One month later, Daniel reports that his negotiations between the Rand Protectorate (the government in possession of the Stargate) and the Caledonian Federation (a rival nation) have only been moderately successful. Both governments have enough firepower to wipe out the other -- but the real problem is Soren, the leader of a radical group who still believe in the ancient gods. They believe SG-1's arrival has verified their beliefs, and thus made a touchy situation worse. Daniel insists he must return to help, and eventually persuades General O'Neill to allow him to go back to the planet.

Two weeks later, Daniel has been unsuccessful in brokering a truce. The religious zealot, Soren, has gathered his forces from across the country and is now a major threat. The Rand have been forced to heighten their alert status to match that of the rival nation. Minister Treydan of the Caledonians swears to Commander Gareth that if the Rand are unable to secure Soren and his forces, the Caledonians will be forced to strike to prevent the radicals from taking over.

Rebel forces have detonated devices very near to one of the Rands missile facilities. Shortly afterward they use it to strike at Caledonia. Gareth's second, Jarrod Kane, reports that the facility is now compromised. Soren's forces attack the Rand's command bunker, and Kane attempts to get Daniel to the Stargate before government falls -- but is shot in the leg by the insurgents. Daniel and Kain escape together to the surface, and Gareth is executed soon after.

Both sides are left in ruins, with Soren now in control of the Rand Protectorate -- and the Stargate.

More:
http://www.gateworld.net/sg1/s8/805.shtml


See also:

http://www.stargatehandbook.org/sg1/randians.html

and

http://www.astro.umd.edu/~avondale/Reviews/Stargate/s8-icon.html

[NMDemDist2]

3. ooopppss! Is Bhutto a fundamentalist?? n/t

[Eugene]

4. Pakistan's Musharraf Rejects 'Ultimatum'

Source: Associated Press

Pakistan's Musharraf Rejects 'Ultimatum'

By STEPHEN GRAHAM
The Associated Press
Thursday, August 30, 2007; 5:54 AM

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- President Gen. Pervez Musharraf
rejects "any pressure or ultimatum" to decide whether to
quit as army chief, his spokesman said Thursday, after an
opponent said he would step down as head of the military
under a pact to restore Pakistan to democracy.

Still, officials were either unavailable or declined to
comment directly on the accuracy of Former Prime Minister
Benazir Bhutto's assertion Wednesday that Musharraf had
already decided to leave his powerful military post.

Musharraf and Bhutto are in the midst of negotiating an
agreement that could end military rule eight years after
Musharraf seized power in a coup and see him share power
with the opposition.

Musharraf's office released a statement rejecting reports
that Bhutto's call for concrete commitments by the end of
this week amounted to an ultimatum to decide whether to
remove his uniform.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/30/AR2007083000224.html