Pakistan’s ruling coalition may start its impeachment proceedings against President Pervez Musharraf next week, Information Minister Sherry Rehman said.

"When we move our resolution in the joint sitting of Parliament next week we will have more votes than we need to impeach the president," she told reporters in Islamabad.

The ruling coalition parties had announced last week that they would launch impeachment against the president.

The provincial assembly in north-west frontier province this week passed a resolution, demanding Musharraf take a vote of confidence in the Parliament.

A similar resolution was also passed in the provincial assembly of eastern Pakistan Punjab province.

The other two provinces are expected to pass the resolution this week.

Though the resolution has no constitutional weight, it will impose moral pressure on Musharraf to resign before a formal impeachment is tabled in the Parliament.

The coalition needs a two-thirds majority votes in a joint session of upper and lower houses.

According to the constitution, not less than half of the total membership of either the National Assembly or Senate have to first submit a written notice about a resolution to impeach the president.

Then the National Assembly speaker will, within three days of its receipt, transmit a copy of the notice to the president, and convene the joint session of both houses between seven and 14 days.

The president has the right to be present in the Parliament when the joint sitting begins investigation into the charges upon which the notice is founded.