Musharraf impeachment charges drawn up

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Pakistan's ruling parliamentary coalition met Sunday to draw up charges to be used against President Pervez Musharraf in impeachment hearings, officials said.

The charges were expected to be read in Parliament Monday, setting in motion an effort to remove the 64-year-old leader from office, the Press Trust of India reported. Musharraf will likely be accused of breaches of the Pakistani constitution and of misappropriating hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. aid given to Pakistan to fight terrorism, the news agency said.

Pakistani Law Minister Farooq Naek and other parliamentary leaders met Sunday at the home of Information Minister Sherry Rehman to produce a "chargesheet" against Musharraf.

"We will prepare such a chargesheet that there will be no need for a further investigation," Naek told reporters. "After (Musharraf's) reply, the House can pass a resolution to impeach him."

Musharraf has vowed not to resign or dissolve the National Assembly in the face of the impeachment challenge. A two-thirds majority of 295 parliamentarians from the country's upper and lower houses must vote to impeach to remove Musharraf, and People's Party chief Asif Ali Zardari says he's confident of 350 votes, the Press Trust reported.