[JURIST] The possibility that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf [official website; JURIST news archive] will face impeachment increased Saturday as a spokesman for the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) [official website], the main ruling party in the country, said it will not protect him from criminal charges if he does not announce he will step down. AP quoted Pakistan foreign minister and PPP member Shah Mahmood Qureshi [official profile] as saying that "If [Musharraf] fails to decide to quit within the next two days, the impeachment process will take its course." On Friday Pakistan's Minister of Information and Broadcasting said that a draft charge-sheet against Musharraf had been finalized and turned over to the Minister of Law and Justice [official website]. Three provincial assemblies have already passed resolutions favoring impeachment, including the Punjab Provincial Assembly [official website] which voted [JURIST report] on Monday. AP has more. The Times of India has additional coverage.

Earlier this month, Musharraf affirmed his June vow [Dawn report] that he will neither step down nor go into exile in the face of impeachment threats. Impeachment would require the endorsement of two-thirds of legislators in a joint session of parliament.