Daily Times

DUBAI: Former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said he was not interested in joining the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), even though he sympathised with the muhajir community. “I have sympathy for muhajirs but no interest in MQM. I will try to do something for the betterment of the muhajir community,” Musharraf maintained. “I will try to unite different political forces to form a third power to challenge Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).” As for his return to Pakistan, the former president said he would come back to Pakistan when court cases against him would conclude. “Political leadership in Pakistan is prolonging the cases against me and judiciary is under the influence of the current government,” he added. Musharraf was forthright about the issue of the army chief’s tenure ending. “General Raheel Shareef should be given an extension and he should accept it,” the army chief asserted. “Nawaz Sharif did not enjoy good working relationship with anyone from the military leadership including Gen Abdul Waheed Kakar, Asif Nawaz, Jahangir Karamat and now Raheel Sharif.” An unknown organisation had put up banners in the city on Monday and suggested that an alliance between Musharraf and Dr Farooq Sattar-led MQM-Pakistan, with the former having a leading role, would save Pakistan. The mysterious banners, put up by unidentified men from the so-called Muttahida Qaumi Jirga-Pakistan, came a day after pro-Musharraf graffiti appeared in Karachi, particularly the city’s central district, which is considered an MQM stronghold.

MQM Pakistan has already rejected speculations over the ‘plus one’ formula proposed by some, where it was hinted that Musharraf would be included in MQM as party leader. But MQM issued a statement to clear doubts regarding the speculation and rejected any such development.