A letter dated Aug. 18, 2008, shows Pervez Musharraf formally resigning as president with immediate effect under Article 44(3) of Pakistan’s Constitution.
ISLAMABAD: A copy of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf’s resignation letter, dated Aug. 18, 2008, has surfaced, bringing renewed attention to the historic document through which he formally stepped down from the country’s highest constitutional office.
The letter, addressed to then National Assembly Speaker Dr. Fehmida Mirza, is dated Aug. 18, 2008, at 10 p.m. It carries the official heading of the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and bears Musharraf’s signature.
In the document, Musharraf formally announced his resignation under Article 44(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan, stating that he was stepping down from the office of president with immediate effect.
“With immediate effect” is the key phrase in the resignation statement, which also refers to his address to the nation earlier that day.
The letter further states that the text of his televised address should be treated as an integral part of the resignation document.
At the conclusion, Musharraf wrote: “May Allah always be the Protector and Guardian of Pakistan.”
The document also contains handwritten remarks from the National Assembly’s office. A handwritten note reads, “The president has resigned. May be notified.” The note is signed by Dr. Fehmida Mirza and carries the date Aug. 18, 2008.
Another handwritten entry identifies the secretary, indicating that the document went through the relevant parliamentary office.
Musharraf announced his resignation in a televised address on Aug. 18, 2008, amid growing political pressure and an impending impeachment process initiated by the ruling coalition.
According to the National Assembly’s official historical record, Musharraf submitted his resignation to the speaker on the same date.
His resignation brought an end to his presidency, which had begun after he took office in 2001. He had seized power in a military coup in October 1999 and later served as Pakistan’s president.
Following his departure, Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro assumed the role of acting president until a new president was elected. Asif Ali Zardari was elected president on Sept. 6, 2008.
The resurfaced document provides a written record of the formal resignation, including its date, time, constitutional reference and the parliamentary speaker’s handwritten acknowledgment.
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