From correspondents in London, England, 06:31 PM IST

Pakistan's army chief General Ashfaq Kiyani will ask President Pervez Musharraf to resign from office within a week, a British newspaper reported Saturday.

The Daily Telegraph quoted an unnamed senior government official from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party as saying the army has 'whispered in Musharraf's ear that it is time to leave'.

'Over the next few days they will make it clear to him (Musharraf) that a protracted battle (against impeachment) is not in Pakistan's interests,' he added.

He said the party had given an assurance of indemnity to the president.

The paper said the claim was supported by a former military aide to the president who said that the army leadership wished Musharraf to be spared the humiliation of impeachment.

'The army is neutral but is expecting him to resign. It will then influence his honourable safe passage as the army's senior leadership would not want him to be punished,' the former military aide was quoted as saying.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)