Pakistan's ruling coalition, led by the party of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, announced on Thursday it would begin impeachment proceedings against President Pervez Musharraf.

"The coalition leaders believe that it has become imperative to move for impeachment ... against General Musharraf," the head of the coalition and Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, told a news conference with his main coalition partner former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Zardari warned Musharraf against dismissing parliament. "If he does it, it will be his last verdict against (the) people, against (the) people's mandate and against Pakistan," Zardari, widower and political successor of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, told a news conference.

"Democracy is not so weak that this article ... could be invoked," he said. -Reuters