Washington/Islamabad, Aug. 9: An expert on South Asian affairs has said that while the White House continues to show "tremendous sympathy" for President Pervez Musharraf, the feeling in the U. S. Congress might not be the same.

According to Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Institution, Musharraf is no longer being seen as "indispensable" either for the war on terror or Pakistan's role in the war on terror.

Islamabad, Aug. 9: Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, General Asfaq Parvez Kiyani will ask President Pervez Musharraf to resign within a week, The Telegraph has quoted a senior government official, as saying.

This claim has been supported by a former military aide to the president who said that the army's leadership wished Musharraf to be spared the humiliation of impeachment.

The unnamed official claimed that the army has "whispered in Musharraf's ear that it is time to leave".

Islamabad, Aug. 9: United States Ambassador Anne W Patterson and the embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission Peter Bodey called on Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Zardari at Zardari House here on Friday and reportedly discussed the ruling coalition's decision to impeach President Pervez Musharraf.

According to the Pakistani dailies, the Daily Times and the Dawn, PPP sources confirmed that besides the impeachment decision, the overall political and security situation of the country was also discussed.

Lahore, Aug. 9: Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Minister, Sherry Rehman has claimed that at least eighteen members of the PML-Q, the party that has been supporting President Musharraf all along, have contacted the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leadership and said that they will support the impeachment motion against the President.

According to the Daily Times, Rehman is said to have told the privately-run Samaa TV that the PPP-led four-party coalition has devised a strategy to oust Musharraf.

Lahore, Aug. 9: Pakistan's Army will not support President Pervez Musharraf should he decide to dissolve Parliament using Article 58(2b) of the Constitution, the country's former Railway Minister and now Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid has said.

Geo News and the Daily Times quoted Rashid as saying that the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) coalition would win the numbers game inside Parliament.

In that case, Musharraf would be left with three options – to face impeachment, use Article 58(2b) or resign.

Lahore, Aug 8: Ahead of the impending Impeachment Motion against Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, constitutional experts in the country have said that the Pakistan Supreme Court can issue an injunction to stay the impeachment process.

Former Lahore High Court Bar Association president Ahmed Awais said that an injunction could provide a way for Musharraf to prolong the issue, the Daily Times reported.