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Leaders of Pakistan's coalition government have started the search for a replacement for Pervez Musharraf who resigned as president yesterday after nine years in power.
Mr Musharraf, former head of the Pakistan army and a key ally of the United States in its campaign against terrorism, resigned to avoid impeachment nearly nine years after taking power in a coup.
Speculation he would resign had mounted since the fractious coalition government, led by the party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, said this month it planned to impeach him on charges of violating the constitution.
Prolonged wrangling over Mr Musharraf's position hurt financial markets in the nuclear-armed country of 165 million people, and raised concern in Washington and elsewhere it distracted from efforts to tackle militants, especially in areas bordering Afghanistan.
One main coalition party, that of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif whom Mr Musharraf ousted in 1999, has insisted he face trial for treason while Ms Bhutto's party says parliament should decide.
Coalition party leaders are due to meet this afternoon and are expected to discuss the next step. Newspapers said coalition leaders must settle on a joint candidate for president and avoid squabbling over the post.
The chairman of the Senate, Mohammadmian Soomro, will be acting president until a new one is elected within 30 days.
Traditionally, Pakistan's president has been a figurehead, although under Mr Musharraf the office was much more powerful.
Divisive questions still hang over the former president's fate. There was no announcement yesterday on whether he would get immunity from prosecution and be allowed to live freely in Pakistan.
With the coalition partners' preoccupation with Mr Musharraf out of the way, the United States and other allies will be keen to see the government focus on security.
US president George W. Bush said he appreciated former president Mr Musharraf's efforts to fight al-Qaeda and other extremists, and was committed to a strong Pakistan that strengthened democracy and fought terrorism.
