Embattled president Pervez Musharraf, under mounting pressure to quit in the face of an impeachment motion, announced his resignation in a televised address to the nation. View the pictures of the key moments of his tumultuous nine years in power.

Picture timeline: Musharraf’s political life

August 18, 2008

Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president and a key ally of the West in the fight against terrorism, said he would resign in a television address to the nation. Mr Musharraf had faced mounting pressure to quit or face impeachment proceedings from the ruling coalition

March 25, 2008

Enemies stand side by side: Mr Musharraf (left) and Yusuf Raza Gilani (right) read the Prime Minister's oath at an official ceremony at the Presidency. Mr Gilani spent more than five years in prison on unproven corruption charges during Mr Musharraf's military rule.

March 9, 2008

Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (right) shakes hands with Pakistan's former premier Nawaz Sharif (left) after having agreed to form a coalition government, and urged Mr Musharraf to convene parliament without delay.

December 27, 2007

Supporters of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) hold candles during a homage ceremony in Lahore. Mr Musharraf rejected claims that there had been a security lapse at the rally where Bhutto was killed.

November 28, 2007

Mr Musharraf (left) stepped down as army chief after bowing to international demands to end eight years of divisive military rule. General Ashfaq Kiyani (right) took over control of the army.

October 6, 2007

Activists of Pakistan's PML(Q), the ruling coalition, celebrate Mr Musharraf's controversial victory in the presidential election.

November 18, 2005

Mr Musharraf (right) and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan during a visit to a camp for earthquake survivors in Muzaffarabad. At least 79,000 people died after the quake hit Kashmir and the North Western Frontier Province

July 29, 2005

Mr Musharraf announced that all foreign nationals studying in Islamic schools in Pakistan would have to leave the country. Mr Musharraf's move followed news that the four men who had planned the July 7 terror attacks in London had been trained in Pakistan

April 18, 2005

Mr Musharraf (left) shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a landmark peace meeting in New Delhi. Mr Musharraf and Mr Singh agreed that the ongoing peace process between the two nuclear rivals was 'irreversible' and pledged to increase transport links across divided Kashmir.

December 25, 2003

Pakistan army soldiers cordon off the site of the attempted suicide car bomb attack on Mr Musharraf in Rawalpindi. Two explosions in quick succession went off near a petrol station, located some two kilometres away from Mr Musharraf's Army House residence. Mr Musharraf survived three assassination attempts during his years in power.

April 2, 2002

Mr Musharraf (left) with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai in Kabul. Mr Musharraf visited Afghanistan's capital city for the first time since Mr Karzai came to power following the demise of the Taliban regime, which was supported by Pakistan

February 21, 2002

US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (left) and Mr Musharraf at the Pentagon in Washington. The military ruler was reassuring the US press that kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was still alive, however, a week later Pakistani authorities announced that he was murdered.

November 10, 2001

US President George W. Bush (right) holds a joint press conference with Mr Musharraf in New York, a month after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Mr Musharraf became a key Washington ally in the 'war on terror' as he turned his back on Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers. Pakistan went through almost six years of recovery after the New York attacks, benefiting from up to $10bn-worth of US assistance.

October 30, 2001

Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the leader of Pakistan's Jama at-i-Islami party, speaks at rally in Lahore. Mr Qazi opposed Mr Musharraf's support for the US and expressed solidarity with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden.

September 19, 2001

Mr Musharraf speaks to the nation on the state-run Pakistani television station in Islamabad, as he announces that he will support the US in the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden