The Game is Over Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf stepped down in the face of intense political pressure. His legacy is likely to be better than expected, argues Thomas Bärthlein. But there is still much to be achieved Musharraf, Pakistan's strongman since leading a military coup in 1999, announced he will step down in the face of an impending impeachment motion by the ruling coalition government Pervez Musharraf has recognized - rather late - that the game is over. In the end, there was no one left to support him. Not the parliamentarians in his own party. Not the army, which he led for more than a decade. Not his long-time allies Washington, George Bush and Dick Cheney.