Partners in Pakistan’s ruling coalition led by the PPP failed on Friday to agree on a strategy to remove President Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf, a major US ally who seized power as army chief in 1999, has seen his authority wane since his allies were trounced by Bhutto’s party and the party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, in a February general election.The two parties formed a coalition, raising prospects that the unpopular Musharraf would soon be out of office, either forced to resign or impeached, but the parties have failed to agree on a strategy.“We don’t have complete understanding between us,” Khawaja Mohammad Asif, a close aide to Sharif, told reporters after the latest talks between Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto’s widower and political successor who leads her party.“One or two more rounds of talks will be held to narrow down the differences,” he said.The question of Musharraf’s fate, and a related issue of the restoration of judges he dismissed last year, has preoccupied the fragile coalition despite growing economic difficulties and the threat of militant violence.Uncertainty over Musharraf’s fate and prospects for coalition and the economy has undermined investor confidence and Pakistani shares fell 1.8 percent on Friday to a more than a 14-month low.Zardari has been reluctant to confront the unpopular Musharraf, which could lead to more turmoil in the nuclear-armed country.The United States fears instability in Pakistan, a partner in the war on terrorism whose support is crucial to NATO efforts to stabilize Afghanistan. Sharif wants to see Musharraf impeached, and has even raised the possibility of him being hanged for treason.Zardari says he considers Musharraf an unconstitutional president but his party is trying to work out a dignified exit for him, hoping he steps down, party officials say.
