Pervez Musharraf

General Pervez Musharraf, the president of Pakistan, announced his resignation on August 18, 2008.FOXNEWS.com: Pakistani President Musharraf Resigns Amid Impeachment Threats In a televised address to his nation, Musharraf said that he would prefer to resign rather than drag Pakistan through impeachment proceedings.FOXNEWS.com: Pakistani President Musharraf Resigns Amid Impeachment Threats On August 7, 2008, Pakistan's ruling coalition said that it would begin impeachment proceedings against Musharraf, who seized power in 1999. Since winning parliamentary elections in February 2008, his rivals have made moves to push him out of office.FOXNEWS.com: Pakistani President Musharraf Resigns Amid Impeachment Threats They claimed that Musharraf "eroded the trust of the nation" during his years in power.Financial Times: Musharraf will step down, say aides (August 14, 2008) The chairman of Pakistan's Senate, Mohammedmian Soomro, will serve as acting president.

Pervez Musharraf came to power in Pakistan on October 12, 1999, after ousting Nawaz Sharif in a military coup. When Musharraf took power, Pakistan's economy was suffering from sanctions imposed after the 1998 nuclear weapons test. When, in 2002, Musharraf denounced terrorism and extremism and agreed to join the search for Osama Bin Laden, the United States and United Kingdom lifted sanctions. This has contributed to the significant economic revival Pakistan has experienced in the last seven years. Despite this success, Musharraf is widely criticized for alleged corruption in his administration, curbing of the freedom of press and speech, suspension of the government and constitution for political aims and stifling of political opposition. In the 2008 election, Musharraf's Pakistan Muslim League-Q party lost their majority to the rival PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-N.

• August 11, 1943: Born

• 1958: Attended Forman Christian College

• 1961: Enters: Pakistan Military Academy

• 1965: Participates in Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

• 1971: Participates in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

• 1999: Engages in a military coup and ousts Nawaz Sharif to assume power

• 2001-present: Declares himself President of Pakistan

• 2008: Faces impeachment by Pakistan's ruling coalition