Impeachment proceedings against Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf may begin as early as next week, according to reports.

A senior official of the ruling coalition party said: "We have proposed that the National Assembly be called on August 11."

The report is in line with speculation that the leaders of the country's civilian coalition will strip Mr Musharraf of his powers and have him impeached.

Such a move would almost certainly plunge the nuclear-armed Muslim nation and Western ally into a new bout of political instability unless the former army chief decides to go quietly.

Mr Musharraf, who was due to go to China to attend Friday's opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics, has delayed his departure because of the uncertainty hanging over him. He has already put off the visit by a day.

He lost parliamentary support after an election last February that resulted in a civilian coalition government led by the party of the late Benazir Bhutto, a two-time prime minister who was assassinated while campaigning last December.

Asif Ali Zardari, Ms Bhutto's widower and head of the ruling alliance, has met Nawaz Sharif, leader of the second largest party, to resolve differences over Mr Musharraf's impeachment.

Mr Musharraf has become increasingly unpopular at home though the West would be reluctant to see its old ally impeached as a constitutional crisis could distract Pakistan from the fight against an al-Qaeda network that has regrouped in tribal areas close to the Afghan border.

Meanwhile, at least 25 pro-Taliban militants and two Pakistani soldiers have been killed in fierce clashes in a tribal region along the Afghan border.

The clashes erupted when militants intercepted a security vehicle in the Loi Sum area in Bajaur, a known sanctuary for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.

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