19 Aug 2008

Musharraf's resignation accepted

Thee resignation of Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf has been accepted with immediate effect by national lawmakers, a Pakistan official said.

The National Assembly formally accepted Musharraf's resignation hours after a televised address Monday announcing that he would step down.

Pakistan's new army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, right, watches General Pervez Musharraf

The chairman of the upper house of the assembly, Mohammedmian Soomro, will serve as acting president until a successor is chosen.

Under Pakistan's constitution, the president is elected by a majority vote of Pakistan's four provincial assemblies and the two houses of the National Assembly.

Musharraf swept to power in 1999 in a bloodless coup.

He had come under increasing pressure in recent weeks to quit, with the ruling coalition taking steps to impeach him.

"I don't want the people of Pakistan to slide deeper and deeper into uncertainty," Musharraf said in his televised address.

"For the interest of the nation, I have decided to resign as president," he said. "I am not asking for anything. I will let the people of Pakistan decide my future."  CNN.com