End of an era for Pakistan
Posted: Monday, August 18, 2008 9:24 AM
Filed Under:
Islamabad, Pakistan
By Carol Grisanti, NBC News Producer
It went down to the wire. Would he or wouldn't he resign?
When President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation mid-way into his one-hour address to the Pakistani nation today, the news came as a shock to many aides, pundits and journalists who were expecting him to resign only after fighting the charges against him. Musharraf had been under immense pressure from the newly elected coalition government to either resign or face impeachment charges for gross misconduct and violations of the constitution during his nine years of absolute military rule.
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| Anjum Naveed / AP |
| A Pakistani salesman listens to President Pervez Musharraf's resignation speech at an electronic shop in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Monday. |
Dressed in a dark gray suit and striped blue tie, the Pakistani leader began his speech in a defiant mood, reminding the nation of his accomplishments, but then abruptly changed to a more emotional tone. He said he had wanted reconciliation with his political opponents but they had opted for confrontation.
"It is not the time for more confrontation in Pakistan," Musharraf said, adding that he had always put the interests of the country over his own.
"In the interest of the nation, I resign from my post today," he said. "I do not want anything from anyone, nothing from anyone."
His speech was not scripted; there were no advance copies; Musharraf spoke extemporaneously from just a few notes.
The end of an ordeal
There were immediate pockets of celebrations in Islamabad, the capital, from his political opponents and from the lawyers who Musharraf had dismissed last year and who had spearheaded the civil society in a campaign to force his ouster. But overall the mood was one of relief that the long ordeal was finally over.
VIDEO: Pakistan reacts to Musharraf's resignation
Pakistan has gone thru a very destabilizing period for more than 18 months, during which Musharraf dismissed the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, fired 60 judges and declared emergency rule. He then eventually resigned as chief of the army but held on to his other post as President of Pakistan.
His refusal to resign as president paralyzed the fragile coalition government and he became their sole issue to fight over. The real issues like a failing economy, soaring inflation, crippling power outages and a civil war with Islamic militants raging inside Pakistan’s border areas were all put on the back burner.
Rumors had been swirling for days that he would step down as part of a deal brokered by the Saudis, the U.S. and Britain, all of whom leaned heavily on the coalition government to give him amnesty and let him leave with dignity.
In a surprise move, many local channels had backed off early this morning from reports that Musharraf would resign as the news surfaced, and that he would address the nation to refute allegations against him and to dampen rumors of his impending departure.
His spokesman, Rashid Quereshi, even went on local television an hour before the speech was to begin and issued a denial of any resignation.
Musharraf’s speech was scheduled just hours before the government was to introduce impeachment charges to the Parliament. Had that process begun, the country would have entered into uncharted waters since there has never been an impeachment process in Pakistan’s 61-year history. The move would have brought the government to a standstill for months and dragged it deeper into crisis.
In his speech, Musharraf said he did not want to harm Pakistan. He admiteed to making mistakes along the way but in the end he said whatever he did he did for the people and for the country.
"I hope the nation and the people will forgive my mistakes," he said.
And with clenched fists held high, ever the commando at heart, Musharraf said, "Long live Pakistan," and left the stage.
The Musharraf era had come to an end.
