Political soothsaying: Musharraf sees ‘change in near future’

APML chief tells his supporters that ‘good days are around the corner’.

ISLAMABAD: Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has asked his supporters to make his party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), more active at all levels, hinting at a ‘major political development’ in the country in the near future.

“We will soon organise the APML at all levels,” he told a hurriedly convened meeting of his party’s central executive committee (CEC) in Karachi on Sunday. “Likeminded politicians will also be invited to join hands with the APML for filling the gap in the future,” he added.

Musharraf also reportedly assured his party leaders and workers that his “good days are around the corner” and that he would soon play an effective role in national politics as a liberal political entity.

A senior leader of the APML told The Express Tribune that in recent days, Musharaf has asked his followers to make the party more active.

“It was the reason the party hurriedly convened the CEC meeting to discuss the future scenario and show its political muscle,” he said. “I found the [former] president very optimistic after a long time and I think he has been assured by some quarters that he will have a good role in the country,” said the APML leader.

The party would start its political activities from local government elections as well as from Gilgit-Baltistan general elections, he added.

While commenting on Musharraf’s future role, security and political analyst Hasan Askari Rizvi said, “The military has shown much sympathy for Musharraf as far as his treason trial in the special court was concerned, but there is no logic or reason for it to support him in politics.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2015.