Parvez Musharraf has resigned as Pakistan’s president on August 18, 2008.  Mr Musharraf said, in a lengthy televised address to the nation “After consultations with legal advisers and close political supporters and on their advice, I’m taking the decision of resigning.”  “My resignation will go to the speaker of the National Assembly today. I leave my future in the hands of people.”

Parvez Musharraf was facing impeachment charges instigated by the coalition government, led by the party of the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in December, over alleged violation of the constitution and gross misconduct.

Mr Musharraf provoked public riots last November when he sacked the Chief Justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, and about 60 other judges in an attempt to put down dissent from the legal establishment.  The move backfired, leading to Parvez Musharraf declaring a state of emergency and forcing his re-election to another five-year presidential term through the Supreme Court. However he bolstered the position of his political opponents, a coalition of whom, led by the late Ms Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), then defeated his party in a parliamentary election in February 2008.

Now that Parvez Musharaf has resigned, it will be very important to observe how the government will treat him. Will he be live in honour as the ex-President of Pakistan or trialed for violating the supreme law of the country. Will army general be allowed breaking law and not face any consequences for that?