Musharraf rules out martial law, midterm general elections

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  • Says national govt should be formed with participation of technocrats

DUBAI: All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) Chairman General (retd) Pervez Musharraf said that there were no chances of either a martial law or midterm general elections, but a national government could be formed.

While addressing the newly elected office bearers of his party in Dubai on Thursday, Musharraf said that Pakistani politics at the moment revolves around the ethnic, racial and lingual basis, which is damaging to national interests. But “we want to establish APML on a national level across the country representing every Pakistani.”

He said, “In Karachi, there is a greater political vacuum that we will fill with a political alliance; Karachi is the best place for such an alliance as the biggest metropolitan,” adding, “We will form a political alliance in Karachi that will be above all kinds of lingual, ethnic and racial discriminations.”

General Musharraf expressed satisfaction over the election process and congratulated the elected members. He directed workers to honour the chain-of-command in the party. He directed party workers to strengthen party structure in all regions and districts, and organise public meetings to convey party message to the public.

Commenting on the political landscape of the country, Musharraf said that there were three scenarios at the moment: One, to dissolve the incumbent government and announce fresh elections. Second, to form a national government; third, to impose a martial law, which is neither imminent nor possible in this entire situation. The second scenario, however, is feasible, he added.

The APML chairman said that if the national government is formed out of the current lot of political parties, it will not benefit the country. He suggested that the national government should be formed with the participation of technocrats in it.