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Islamabad: Speculation swirled in Pakistan yesterday that a deal would be reached shortly enabling President Pervez Musharraf to resign without fear of prosecution, avoiding a divisive impeachment process.
Talk of resignation by former army chief and firm US ally Musharraf has been mounting since the coalition government, led by the party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, said this month it planned to impeach him.
Prolonged jockeying and uncertainty over Musharraf's position has hurt Pakistan's financial markets and raised concern among the United States and other allies it is distracting from efforts to control violent militants in the nuclear-armed nation.
Saudi representatives were trying to broker a deal to protect and save face for Musharraf, a senior security official said.
"Some dignitaries have arrived here to mediate. A Saudi Royal Air Force plane is parked at Chaklala [air base] so the matter could be a day or two," said the official, who asked not to be identified.
Denial
Reports Saudi Arabia - a key political and financial backer of fellow Muslim country Pakistan - was mediating have been denied by both sides of the controversy.
Coalition officials have been hoping Musharraf would quit to avoid impeachment while some allies have said he should at least answer charges brought against him before stepping down.
Musharraf seized power in a 1999 coup but has been isolated since his allies lost a February election. All four provincial assemblies have in recent days passed resolutions pressing him to quit and several old allies have joined the campaign against him.
On Sunday, another old ally, Senator Mohammad Ameen Dadabhoy, announced he was joining Bhutto's party.
"A line has been drawn between democracy and dictatorship. It's a decisive moment so obviously I want to be on this side of the line," Dadabhoy told said.
The ruling coalition has prepared impeachment charges against Musharraf focusing on violation of the constitution and misconduct. There have also been reports it is looking into possible misuse of funds in Musharraf's foreign travels.
'The draft has been given a final shape and by tomorrow or the day after, it'll be presented to the coalition leadership and hopefully, an impeachment motion with charge sheet will be moved this week,' Information Minister Sherry Rehman, on the committee assigned to draft the charge sheet, told reporters yesterday.
The nature of the charges has Musharraf's camp worried he might face prosecution even if he leaves office without a fight. The president's spokesman has insisted Musharraf would not resign but would face the accusations.
However, coalition and other sources are adamant negotiations have been going on, adding that US and British representatives have also been involved despite denials.
Western countries appreciate Musharraf's efforts to contain militants who have provided shelter for the Taliban and Al Qaida near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.
Asked if the government was considering giving a safe exit for Musharraf if he quits, Rehman said: 'We are not interested in politics of vendetta ... we want political stability and the government's focus should be on the people's betterment."
But efforts to give immunity to Musharraf could face a roadblock from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the main coalition partner of Bhutto's party.
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