Musharraf invites all Muslim League factions to unity

ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) Chairman Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf on Sunday suggested that all factions of Muslim League should get united to form a third major political force that will build new Pakistan and relieve this country from political and economic chaos.

He was addressing a public meeting at Sector G-9 of Islamabad. He said he would lead this third political force from the front after coming to Pakistan. The public meeting was participated by party workers from twin cities as well as other parts of the country.

Prior to the public meeting, APML central executive committee (CEC) in its meeting nominated Dr Muhammad Amjad as new president of the party and Mrs Mehreen Malik Adam as secretary general. APML general body endorsed the nominated candidates.

Musharraf said APML is a party rooted in entire Pakistan. Every citizen of Pakistan without any discrimination of gender, ethnicity or language differences can become part of this party. “We have already done so. During my tenure in the government, I encouraged the participation of marginalised groups into the mainstream. We provided women with representation in the national and provincial assemblies as well as local government,” Musharraf said.

He lauded the efforts of those women who played their part in making this public meeting successful and led the workers to this gathering. He also lauded the role of youth in building Pakistan. He said that youth is their special focus. “During my tenure in the government, I introduced youth policy in Pakistan. We also need to focus on labour and peasant classes of the country that contribute to our prosperity. Labour and peasant class comprise 60% of our population and living in rural areas. As President of Pakistan, I worked for the prosperity of labour and peasant class. They were receiving full cost of their yield and they prospered,” Musharraf said. He added that APML neither has any looter and plunderer in the party and nor we need such ignominious politicians in our party cadres.

Musharraf said he is disturbed over deteriorating conditions of Pakistan. “During my tenure, Pakistan's economy was moving upward, foreign investment was coming to the country, factories were being installed and people were getting jobs.

Agriculture growth was on the move. New roads and dams were under construction and labour class was getting jobs. We maintained the US Dollar rate to a compatible price. Pakistan's defense was strong. Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force were getting strong and no one dare to see this country with bad intentions,” he said.

APML President Dr Muhammad Amjad said this public meeting will convey a strong message to their political opponents who put all together cannot face Musharraf. “Some of our political opponents have already gone disqualified and some other will also get disqualified in future. PML-N, foreseeing its defeat, has put Maryam Nawaz at the forefront,” he said.