Minister: Charge against Musharraf strong

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- The charge-sheet against Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who faces impeachment, are strong and voluminous, a government minister said.

Ruling coalition Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman said the charges were a powerful indictment of Musharraf's alleged systematic misrule and usurpation of parliament's powers, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

The formalities to impeach Musharraf began Monday in the lower house of parliament, even as pressure mounted on Musharraf to resign. The impeachment motion, expected to come to a vote in a few days, would require a two-thirds majority of both houses, or 295 out of the 439 parliamentarians, to pass.

Rehman claimed the ruling coalition has over 350 members who will support the impeachment, the state-run news agency said.

Even within a faction of the Pakistan Muslim League party, which supports Musharraf, several members have asked him to step down, the Press Trust of India reported. The report said at least 10 parliamentarians from the party urged ruling Pakistan People's Party head Asif Ali Zardari to give a "safe exit" to Musharraf if he resigns.

Britain's Daily Telegraph reported the effort to remove the president could set off a bitter power struggle in the nuclear-armed country, already weakened by pro-Taliban militancy and soaring prices.

The report said political allies of Musharraf have advised him to fight the impeachment.