The Hindu : Front Page : Ruling alliance ignores Musharraf appeal

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Friday, Aug 15, 2008
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Ruling alliance ignores Musharraf appeal

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party-led ruling alliance on Thursday appeared to reject President Pervez Musharraf’s appeal for “reconciliation,” and said political adversaries had joined hands against “the return of dictatorship.”

In a speech at a midnight function to mark Pakistan’s Independence Day, the retired Gen. Musharraf made no direct reference to the ruling coalition’s impeachment moves against him, and gave no hint of his own intentions.

But he urged a “reconciliatory approach” rather than confrontation in order to restore political stability in the country so that it was better able to tackle terrorism and stop the economic downslide.

Suicide bombing

Shortly before he spoke, a suicide bombing in Lahore killed eight people and wounded at least 40, underlining fears that the present political instability would spawn more terrorism. However, in an Independence Day speech on Thursday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani seemed to reiterate the coalition’s recently-born determination to remove him from office.

In a deliberate build-up to the impeachment, meant to give Gen. Musharraf a window to step down before the impeachment resolution is moved in parliament, three provincial assemblies have passed resolutions against him. The Balochistan provincial assembly is expected to meet on Friday to pass a similar resolution.

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