ISLAMABAD President Pervez Musharraf will not stand down despite facing impeachment by the coalition government, his spokesman said Monday.

There is no reason that he should resign. Everything they are saying is false, so why should he resign? presidential spokesman Rashid Qureshi told AFP.

The spokesman however declined to comment on Musharrafs plans. His options include trying to defeat impeachment in parliament, dissolving parliament or declaring a state of emergency.

It was the first statement from Musharrafs camp since the coalition announced it would launch impeachment proeedings against the former general.

Parliament was also due to convene Monday ahead of the expected formal launch of impeachment proceedings later this week, while provincial assemblies will shortly consider no-confidence motions against Musharraf.

The ruling coalition meanwhile reiterated its desire to remove Musharraf from the presidency, a post he has held since June 2001. The work of the impeachment committee is almost complete. It is giving finishing touches to the charge sheet, Farzana Raja, a senior member of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto, told AFP.

We gave him a chance to resign, we gave him a few months. But we have come to the conclusion that now the people of Pakistan, through their elected representatives in the parliament, will have to do that, she said.