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Pakistan's parliament to discuss impeachment of Musharraf

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-10 20:21

ISLAMABAD  -- Pakistan's National Assembly, lower house of the parliament, is scheduled to meet on Monday afternoon to discuss the process of impeaching President Pervez Musharraf, according to the official APP news agency.

Related readings:  Parliament to impeach Musharraf  Pakistan coalition agrees to impeach Musharraf

Pakistan People's Party spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that the session would set into motion the process to impeach Musharraf.

"The session has been summoned in connection with impeachment of the president," Babar said, adding "a notice for impeachment will be served on President Musharraf during the session."

The sitting would then "investigate or cause to be investigated " the charge sheet.

Impeachment requires a two-third majority in the Senate and the National Assembly under the country's constitution. It would be the first time in Pakistan's 61-year history that a president would be impeached.

The ruling coalition needs the support of 295 parliamentarians out of the 439 in both the houses to remove Musharraf.

Constitutional experts said that at least half of the National Assembly members need to sign a written notice of the intention to impeach the president. The speaker then has three days to send the notice to the president after which a joint sitting of the Senate and the National Assembly will be called.

According to Pakistan's constitution, the joint sitting should be called "not earlier than seven days and not later than 14 days" after the president receives the notice.

Musharraf's close aides said that he has vowed to fight his impeachment through all legal and constitutional means.

According to local media reports, Musharraf is unlikely to use his powers to dissolve the assemblies under article 58 (2b) of the constitution.