Musharraf may be offered a safe exit: Pak minister

AS US(UAL): The US has been pressuring the Pakistani government to let Musharraf take the safe exit option.

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New Delhi: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf may not be impeached but instead will be offered a safe exit, according to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Speaking to CNN-IBN in an exclusive interview, Qureshi revealed that the government is looking at the option of a safe exit for the embattled President.

“We have been in discussions with Musharraf for a safe exit for him. Musharraf is considering resigning. Indo-Pak relations will continue the way they are after Musharraf exits. Our foreign policy is not Musharraf-specific,” Qureshi said.

"The co-chairman of the PPP sent emissaries to President Musharraf asking him to resign and we were willing to give him an honourable safe exit. He is a very wise and experienced man and he has seen the writing on the wall. He has seen the sentiment of not just the elected representatives but various institutions in the country," Qureshi added.

This is contrary to the government's stand earlier as it had refused to consider the safe exit option saying Musharraf will be impeached.

When asked about the change in Indo-Pak relations after Musharraf's exit, the foreign minister said, foreign policy is not Musharraf specific.

"Present political leadership in Pakistan is very keen on friendly relations with India because we stand to gain from that. It is not a Musharraf-specific policy," he said.

The US, too, had been pressuring the Pakistani government to let Musharraf take the safe exit option.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's presidential spokesman Rashid Qureshi on Friday had denied the allegation that Musharraf would resign.

The ruling coalition had announced on August 7 that they would initiate the proceedings to impeach Musharraf on the ground that he had violated the constitution and his policies had led to economic crisis in the country.

The task committee set up by the two major coalition partners, Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, will meet on Friday to finalise the draft of the chargesheet against Musharraf.

(With reporting inputs by Suhasini Haidar)