Two recent reports on Imran Khan and Musharraf & AltafHussain
Pak''s political circle abuzz with Khan-Musharraf meet - International News
Lahore, Apr 6 (PTI) Pakistan''s political circles are abuzz with speculation about a meeting in London between Pervez Musharraf and cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan even as the aides of the former military ruler remained tightlipped.
Musharraf''s new party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), has said it has launched efforts to form a "major alliance" of political parties other than the ruling PPP and main opposition PML-N to give the people an "alternate leadership".
APML spokesman Fawad Chaudhry was tight-lipped on reports that Khan recently met former army chief Musharraf in London. However, Khan''s party has categorically denied that he held a meeting with Musharraf.
Chaudhry said: "The party does not deny nor confirm the meeting. However, it wants Khan to join hands with us for the larger interest of the country. Khan was critical of Musharraf when he was the military chief but now he is a politician."
He said the APML is making efforts to form an alliance of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Khan''s Tehrik-e-Insaf, APML and breakaway factions of the PML-Q for the next general election so that people would have an option other than PPP and PML-N.
People are "sick of the PPP and PML-N because of their bad governance", Chaudhry contended.
He said the people wanted an alternate leadership that could steer Pakistan out of crises and address their problems.
Chaudhry claimed several dissident leaders of the PML-Q were in contact with Musharraf, currently living in Britain in self-exile, and had assured him of their support.
"(Former minister) Shiekh Rashid had two meetings with Musharraf and S M Zafar and Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood are in London to see him," he said.
Terming news of Khan''s meeting as just "rumours", his party spokesman Omar Sarfraz Cheema said "the Tehrik-e-Insaf is open for dialogue with any political party despite ideological differences".
Khan is a credible leader and the people were looking up to him to salvage the situation, Cheema said.
To a question, Cheema said the PML-N was in a "state of shock" after seeing the popularity of his party.
"The Tehrik-e-Insaf will emerge a strong political force in the next election," he said.
Though some political leaders have reportedly met Musharraf, none of them are willing to admit it.
Sheikh Rashid, who now heads the Awami Muslim League, confirmed that he had "shook hands" with Musharraf during a wedding in Dubai a few months ago.
A senior leader of PML-Q, who did not wish to be named, said: "Only a politically naive leader can think of joining hands with Musharraf seeing his popularity in Pakistan.
---------- Post added at 07:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:26 PM ----------
PTI invited to take part in MQM
ISLAMABAD: Apparently in the backdrop of a recent rare telephonic talk between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain and Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), the MQM on Friday invited the PTI to take part in its public meeting in Lahore on April 10.
Talking to The News here, PTI’s Central Information Secretary Omar Sarfraz Cheema said that an MQM delegation visited his party office in Lahore and formally invited the PTI to be part of their programme.
“We welcome the invitation from the MQM but a decision whether or not the PTI will attend the meeting will be taken at our central executive committee meeting,” Cheema maintained, when asked about their decision on the Muttahida’s invitation.
Ex-federal minister Babar Ghauri and provincial minister Raza Haroon visited the PTI office and met Cheema and PTI Punjab President Ahsan Rasheed to extend the invitation, which has already been extended to the MQM’s former ally PML-Q, whose leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has promised his party will attend the meeting.
Pak''s political circle abuzz with Khan-Musharraf meet - International News
Lahore, Apr 6 (PTI) Pakistan''s political circles are abuzz with speculation about a meeting in London between Pervez Musharraf and cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan even as the aides of the former military ruler remained tightlipped.
Musharraf''s new party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), has said it has launched efforts to form a "major alliance" of political parties other than the ruling PPP and main opposition PML-N to give the people an "alternate leadership".
APML spokesman Fawad Chaudhry was tight-lipped on reports that Khan recently met former army chief Musharraf in London. However, Khan''s party has categorically denied that he held a meeting with Musharraf.
Chaudhry said: "The party does not deny nor confirm the meeting. However, it wants Khan to join hands with us for the larger interest of the country. Khan was critical of Musharraf when he was the military chief but now he is a politician."
He said the APML is making efforts to form an alliance of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Khan''s Tehrik-e-Insaf, APML and breakaway factions of the PML-Q for the next general election so that people would have an option other than PPP and PML-N.
People are "sick of the PPP and PML-N because of their bad governance", Chaudhry contended.
He said the people wanted an alternate leadership that could steer Pakistan out of crises and address their problems.
Chaudhry claimed several dissident leaders of the PML-Q were in contact with Musharraf, currently living in Britain in self-exile, and had assured him of their support.
"(Former minister) Shiekh Rashid had two meetings with Musharraf and S M Zafar and Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood are in London to see him," he said.
Terming news of Khan''s meeting as just "rumours", his party spokesman Omar Sarfraz Cheema said "the Tehrik-e-Insaf is open for dialogue with any political party despite ideological differences".
Khan is a credible leader and the people were looking up to him to salvage the situation, Cheema said.
To a question, Cheema said the PML-N was in a "state of shock" after seeing the popularity of his party.
"The Tehrik-e-Insaf will emerge a strong political force in the next election," he said.
Though some political leaders have reportedly met Musharraf, none of them are willing to admit it.
Sheikh Rashid, who now heads the Awami Muslim League, confirmed that he had "shook hands" with Musharraf during a wedding in Dubai a few months ago.
A senior leader of PML-Q, who did not wish to be named, said: "Only a politically naive leader can think of joining hands with Musharraf seeing his popularity in Pakistan.
---------- Post added at 07:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:26 PM ----------
PTI invited to take part in MQM
ISLAMABAD: Apparently in the backdrop of a recent rare telephonic talk between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain and Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), the MQM on Friday invited the PTI to take part in its public meeting in Lahore on April 10.
Talking to The News here, PTI’s Central Information Secretary Omar Sarfraz Cheema said that an MQM delegation visited his party office in Lahore and formally invited the PTI to be part of their programme.
“We welcome the invitation from the MQM but a decision whether or not the PTI will attend the meeting will be taken at our central executive committee meeting,” Cheema maintained, when asked about their decision on the Muttahida’s invitation.
Ex-federal minister Babar Ghauri and provincial minister Raza Haroon visited the PTI office and met Cheema and PTI Punjab President Ahsan Rasheed to extend the invitation, which has already been extended to the MQM’s former ally PML-Q, whose leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has promised his party will attend the meeting.
