Beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday summoned Pakistan's National Assembly, lower house of Parliament, on August 11 during which the ruling coalition is likely to bring forward an impeachment motion against him.
Musharraf signed a summary convening the Assembly on Monday, officials said without specifying the agenda.
With the Senate, the upper house, already in session, the summoning of the Assembly may set the stage for the government to bring the impeachment motion, which the coalition decided on Thursday.
Half of the 442 members of both the Houses are required to give a motion for impeachment to the assembly speaker and if allowed it would be taken up for discussion in a joint sitting of the two houses.
Musharraf, 64, who has dug in his heels and indicated he would battle it out against the ruling coalition's moves and would not step down, will also have the right of reply in the discussion.
The ruling coalition comprising Pakistan People's Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and some others parties are short of the two-thirds majority needed to oust him, but are confident of mustering the magic figure of 295 to impeach Musharraf.
The National Assembly has 342 members, while the Senate has 100.
If the motion is passed by Parliament, Musharraf would have the ignominious distinction of being the first Pakistani president to be impeached.
