Musharraf not planning to quit, says spokesman

Islamabad, Aug 16 (PTI) Amid reports that Pakistan's ruling coalition has offered indemnity to Pervez Musharraf, the spokesman for the President said Friday that the former military ruler has no plans to step down to avoid facing impeachment.

Presidential spokesman Maj. Gen. (retired) Rashid Qureshi criticised the media for speculating that the President will resign to avoid impeachment, rejecting such reports as baseless and "not worth commenting on".

The Pakistan People's Party-led coalition has said it will launch impeachment proceedings against Musharraf next week and three provincial assemblies have already passed resolutions asking the President to seek a vote of confidencefrom parliament or resign.

Reports have suggested that the ruling coalition is in talks with the President's camp to offer him a safe exit if hedecides to resign before the impeachment process is launched.

The U.S., Britain and Saudi Arabia have been pressuring the Pakistan government to provide a "safe passage" to Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless military coup against former premier Nawaz Sharif in 1999 and has been an ally in the U.S.-led war on terror since 2001. PTI