Musharraf seeks support to launch own party

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DUBAI - Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf is busy mustering support to launch his own political party, media reports said Sunday.

Musharraf spent a busy week in Abu Dhabi before flying back to London - holding marathon meetings with his lawyers, political partners and retired officials, including his close aide Major General Rashid Qureshi, the Online news agency reported.

He discussed issues related to forming a new political party and his possible return to Pakistan. “Musharraf is weighing possibilities of going back to launch himself as a political force,” a leading politician said requesting anonymity.

He said the purpose of the meetings was to discuss various aspects of the new political party.

Musharraf resigned from presidency in August 2008 after a row caused by his decision to impose emergency in the country and sack judges to save his presidency.

Sources told Gulf News that Musharraf’s party would mainly comprise of politicians who parted ways from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), which he launched with Chaudhry Shujjat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, who defected from Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

These included Humayon Akhtar, Khusheed Mahmoud Kasuri, Senator Salim Saif Allah and Arbab Gulam Rahim — all on important positions during Musharraf’s government.

A top diplomat said Musharraf, who is currently in ’self-exile’ in London, has been given immunity as part of a deal and would not be arrested on his return. But he is waiting for the right signal”.