The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Islamabad

A junior party in Pakistan's government called Sunday for its main coalition partner to back the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf, a day after the former army strongman rebuffed calls from both parties to resign.

Ahsan Iqbal, a spokesman for ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party, called Musharraf "a virus in the democratic computer" and said Asif Ali Zardari's party should not hesitate to "join us for Musharraf's impeachment."

A spokesman for Zardari's party said it would "consider" pushing for impeachment proceedings in light of Musharraf's defiance.

The president's fate has been a key focus of squabbling in Pakistan's fractious coalition government. The infighting comes as the country faces a dire economic situation and ongoing militancy in its regions bordering Afghanistan.

The parties of Sharif and Zardari, the two largest in the coalition, won February elections on anti-Musharraf platforms. But Sharif's party has been more vociferous in demanding Musharraf's ouster than Zardari's party, though the latter has hardened its stance in recent days.

The coalition has already threatened to unravel because of a dispute between the two parties over whether restoration of dozens of judges sacked by Musharraf should be linked to a constitutional package that weakens the presidency and allows judicial reforms.

On Saturday, Musharraf - a longtime U.S. ally in the war on terror - deflected rising calls for his resignation and denied he planned to go into exile.

Zardari's party over the weekend branded Musharraf a "de facto president" and "a one-man demolition squad who demolished the Constitution, the judiciary and the Parliament."

But Zardari party spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Sunday, "Right now I can't say whether the party is going to go ahead with impeachment and if so when." He added, however, the party would have to "consider" pushing for impeachment following Musharraf's public statements.