August 17, 2008	Sunday	Sha'aban 14, 1429

MULTAN, Aug 16: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that President Pervaiz Musharraf has only two days to decide about his resignation and if he fails to do so, the impeachment process will start.

Speaking at a press conference at Multan Airport on Saturday, the minister said that a decision about the next president would be taken in consultation with coalition partners and if PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif expressed a desire to become president, his wish would be given “due weightage”.

He denied that his party had any ‘backdoor link’ with the president.

Mr Qureshi said that there was no pressure from the Army or the United States over the impeachment because the process was in accordance with the Constitution and all provincial assemblies had adopted resolutions calling for president’s resignation.

The minister said the coalition leadership knew that a shift from ‘dictatorship’ to democracy was very difficult, but people had given their mandate for democracy. “The ultimate achievement will be strengthening of democratic institutions.”

Mr Qureshi said that a four-member team of the Pakistan-India judicial committee on prisoners would soon visit India and meet Pakistani prisoners there.

The minister said the government was sincere in the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqi and did not want to drag the matter for political gains.

Mr Qureshi said he had no information about the visit of the Saudi intelligence chief to Pakistan. “Only people who know about the visit could say something about it. I don’t know.”