Sher Afgan bids farewell to APML

General Pervez Musharraf’s newborn political party- All Pakistan Muslim League- suffered a bruising blow today when veteran politician and close aide to former president Sher Afgan Khan Niazi resigned from the slot of senior vice president of the APML as well as basic membership of the party.
Dr Sher Afgan Niazi, while talking to Pakistan Today on Saturday, confirmed his resignation said there were people within the party with whom he could no longer work with. However, he said he still viewed Pervez Musharraf as his leader. He said it was no longer a matter of settling differences and that he could no longer think of returning to the party. Dr Niazi said, “There is no point in working with a party which lacks the approach to transform the newly born party into a real political entity,” adding that few, scattered public meetings do not make real political parties. He said he was unable to grasp the intention of his party members, even though he had spent more than 40 years in politics.
Coming hard on some party leaders, he claimed that one of the leader who was supposed to be give time to party affairs, gave priority to living abroad to look after his business, while the others of the same camp limit themselves by nominating the persons without solid political background for various party offices in the province without consulting the senior members.
When asked, whether he raised the issue in front of party founder, Pervez Musharraf, he said, “It is saddening that major general (r) Rashid Qureshi raised his concerns before Musharraf on my behalf, but Musharraf not only refused to admonish the ‘non-political elements’ in APML but he also made it clear to Qureshi that I would be answerable to the same leaders.” APML spokesman, Fawad Chaudhary when contacted said the party leadership had not received any resignation from Dr Niazi. He said that he along with other party men would address all the grievances of veteran party leader Dr Niazi, as without the towering leadership of him, the newly born party could not flourish. Declining the rumours that Dr Niazi had differences with him or Barrister Saif, Fawad Ch said that they had very good relations with Dr Niazi and would remove all his grievances.
Sources said that his view points were no longer being considered in the party offices being made in southern Punjab.