Musharraf wishes to lead PML-Q

Islamabad, Oct. 27: Former Paki-stan Pres-ident Pervez Musharraf is said to be keen on leading the PML-Q, the political party which he backed during February elections. He reportedly expressed this desire in front of his personal friends in Lahore last week at a dinner. Mr Musharraf also told his friends that if the Chaudhrys of Gujarat, who are presently holding the reins of the party, were not ready to quit, "then someone from the ranks of the party should make them leave so that he could take over without much fuss".

Mr Musharraf was reportedly told by his friends that after the failure of the PPP to address the economic problems, the people were recalling the "golden days" of his rule. "Sir, this is the time to seriously think about leading the party," a source quoted a Musharraf crony as telling him.

"But this would only be possible if the Chaudhrys of Gujrat voluntarily hand over the party leadership to him," the sources quoted Mr Musharraf’s friends as saying, according to the News.

According to the paper, PML-Q leader Ishaq Khan Khakwani confirmed from Lahore that Mr Musharraf told his personal friends at a party, hosted by an oil sector tycoon, that he was prepared to head the party in case Mr Chaudhry Shaujaat and Mr Pervez Elahi accepted him as their new president or they were forced to quit.

"I cannot share my source, who was present in the same house where this secret political game plan was discussed by Musharraf with his friends," Mr Khakwani said. —ANI

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‘Coup was blow to J&K issue’

Lahore, Oct. 27: PML-N chief and former Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif has said that the Kashmir issue would have been resolved in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people "If the PML-N government had not been toppled by the former Army Chief Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999". The former Premier said his government was dislodged under a planned conspiracy at a time when the resolution of the Kashmir dispute was near, reported the Daily Times.

According to the paper, Mr Sharif expressed these views while talking to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir president Sardar Zulqarnain at his residence in Raiwind.

According to Mr Zulqarnain’s press secretary, a host of issues, including the country’s overall political situation, problems of earthquake-affected Kashmiris and the situation in Kashmir were discussed. —ANI