[Marxism] "West's diplomats rush to halt Mucharraf impeachment

[Fred Feldman]

West's diplomats rush to save Musharraf from impeachment as resignation
rumours grow. 
Britain and US say charges would only add to unrest. But opposition
coalition insists general is punished
Saeed Shah in Islamabad The Guardian, 
Thursday August 14 2008 

A poster of Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf set on fire by supporters of
PML-N party in Multan. Photograph: Khalid Tanveer/AP

British and American diplomats are attempting to find an exit for Pakistan's
President Pervez Musharraf, a staunch western ally, before he is dragged
through a humiliating impeachment process. 

Rumours that Musharraf is set to quit have been circulating in Pakistan for
several days. He has suffered a collapse in support as three of Pakistan's
four provincial parliaments have passed resolutions, with overwhelming
backing, declaring him unfit for office. The fourth province is expected to
follow soon.

The provincial votes were symbolic, but the formal process will begin early
next week with an impeachment motion in the national parliament. It is clear
that the ruling coalition now has the two-thirds majority needed to impeach
him. 

Government insiders said that if Musharraf wants to quit, he must do so
before the impeachment proceedings begin, leaving him with only a few days. 

His spokesman has rebutted any suggestion that he will step down. 

Western diplomats have sought to convince the coalition government that
impeachment would further undermine the security and political situation in
crisis-racked Pakistan, and that he should instead be offered a "graceful
exit". 

"We're being told [by western envoys] that it's not going to bring more
stability to have a long trial. And that it is in the interests of stability
for him to exit," said one senior coalition politician.

Sir Mark Lyall Grant, director of political affairs at the British Foreign
Office, currently in Pakistan, is said to spearheading the message of
caution. Lyall Grant met Asif Zardari, leader of the Pakistan People's
Party, one of the two big parties in the coalition, on Tuesday night at the
British high commission. He held a separate meeting with Sherry Rehman, a
senior minister, and he also saw Musharraf, the FCO confirmed. 

Lyall Grant, a former British high commissioner to Pakistan, was intimately
involved in western-mediated negotiations last year between Musharraf and
former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, which presaged her return to Pakistan
and the holding of elections. 

American diplomats are also engaged in an intensive round of meetings. The
deputy US ambassador, Peter Bodde, is understood to have met Zardari in the
last couple of days. American ambassador Anne Patterson saw Nisar Ali Khan,
a senior member of Nawaz Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League-N, the
other main group in the coalition. Sources in Sharif's party said her
message was: "Give Musharraf safe passage." 

However, spokesmen for both the British and US missions denied that they
were seeking to interfere. Aidan Liddle, a spokesman for the British
embassy, said: "We are very clear that we have no role to play in this
impeachment process. Britain has no interest in talking about the fate of
individuals." 

Musharraf has been a crucial partner in the so-called "war on terror". US
officials in particular are anxious that he is not disgraced now. 

They are also concerned that impeachment of Musharraf, a former army chief,
will poison relations between the government and Pakistan's powerful
military.

"There is a link between Musharraf and the army, so humiliating him is like
humiliating the army," said Daniel Markey, a former US state department
official who is now at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. "The
[US] administration would have much preferred to see a workable political
arrangement, between Musharraf and the government, not another looming
transition." 

The attack on Musharraf has been inflamed in recent days by Zardari's
accusations that the president siphoned off hundreds of millions of dollars
in American aid. The accusation, backed up by no evidence, is said to have
made Musharraf more determined to fight on. The PPP is willing to allow the
president to resign and retreat from public life. 

However, the party of Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted as prime minister in 1999
by Musharraf's military coup, seems determined to prosecute the president.
"We've had enough of dictators," said Ahsan Iqbal, one of the leaders of the
Pakistan Muslim League-N. "Whoever abrogates the constitution must be
punished or we will never stop these dictators usurping power here." 

Sheikh Waqas Akram, a pro-Musharraf member of the national parliament,
warned: "This is a man who stood up against al-Qaida. Who will face al-Qaida
after Musharraf? Certainly not this coalition." Akram, who is close to the
president, said that Musharraf wanted to stay in Pakistan after he leaves
office. 

However, there have been at least three assassination attempts on the
president by extremist groups, and it is considered highly dangerous for him
to remain in the country. Al-Qaida recently issued a video denouncing
Musharraf's rule.

Where could he go?
United States 

Musharraf has been one of the Bush administration's closest allies. While
Washington would prefer not to host his exile, as it would look bad
politically, it would if he has nowhere else to go. His son lives in the US.

Pakistan 

The president has a small farm just outside Islamabad but the house is still
being constructed and security would be a challenge. Another option would be
Karachi but it is a volatile city with a huge population of Pushtuns, the
ethnic group most angered by his rule.

Turkey

This has long been the favoured destination for Musharraf in exile. He spent
his childhood in Turkey, speaks the language and loves the country. He is
rumoured to own property there. But Turkey is a Muslim-majority country and
he may become a target.

Saudi Arabia 

Saudi Arabia has a rich tradition of taking in former dictators and, as a
firm ally of Pakistan, would be willing to accommodate Musharraf as part of
an exit deal. Nawaz Sharif was given refuge there in 2000, after Musharraf
ousted him from power