APML is not well prepared, says Musharraf

Pervez Musharaf said the government has failed to improve relation with any country.

KARACHI:

Former president and army chief Pervez Musharraf has accepted that his party is not well prepared and he felt a strong blow to his strategy due to this situation. Speaking to Shazaib Khanzada on Express News in his first TV interview after returning home, he said that there was little time left to process nomination papers.

“My strategy was that I shall come back to Pakistan, give momentum to the people, draw them and then select suitable candidates for different constituencies, but my party is handicapped and, therefore, all has gone into reverse order’. Now we shall ask the people we know to submit their nomination papers and then ask the public to vote for them.

He admitted that he cannot expect his party to perform well in the upcoming elections as Nawaz’s party did in 2008 when he (Nawaz) had returned from exile. “There are two major differences between PML-N and my party; theirs is decades old while I just made mine in 2010 which is only two-and-a half years back. People do not know many people of my party except for myself and I also do not know people enough at grass-root level to give tickets.”

The Pakistani government has failed to improve relations with any country, nor used its status as a frontline state. Pakistan can benefit from its geopolitical and strategic situation. We are located in the centre of Gulf, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan and north east China and they cannot avoid us on economic grounds.

We should handle terrorism effectively for terrorist outfits are getting stronger in Afghanistan, KP, Punjab and Karachi.

He said that he did not receive a call from Kiyani on his arrival and avoided offering any comments on his expectations from the army chief.

He advised Imran Khan to be clear about his aim and then stick to it. He said that he met Jumaima Khan but has not sent any message to Imran Khan through her. She was in my favor till 2002 and she may be still.

He said that he was considering contesting from three to four constituencies, which includes Chitral where he has sent his nomination papers. When referred to implementing articles 62 and 63 in his case, he said, “In letter and spirit, I am the only electable person.”

He said that he enjoys good relations with MQM and had told Nawaz Sharif, when he was PM that MQM was a reality and that he should make a political deal with them and thus improve law and order in Karachi.

He refuted that he had used any diplomatic pressure to arrange a meeting with Nawaz which was turned down. He said that Pakistan should not have any confrontation with the Gulf or Saudi Arabia and evade any sanctions through diplomacy and action.

(Translated By Arshad Shaheen)

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2013.