Former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf is likely to enter politics when a legal bar – which prevents public servants from participating in politics for two years from the date of retirement – ends on November 28.
Although former aides from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), as well as current ones, are unable to make a statement that clarifies the former president’s future political ambitions, they say Musharraf would definitely join practical politics and might announce his own political entity.
Sources – who are in contact with the former president – say that despite the likelihood of Musharraf’s participation in politics after November 28, he is likely to stay abroad until a major shift in his favour in the political situation of the country.
“The recent remarks made by Musharraf against President Asif Ali Zardari were in fact a preface … to a new political chapter. He made the remarks in the backdrop of mounting pressure on Zardari,” said an associate of the former president.
While it is now known that the Chaudhrys of Gujrat no longer associate themselves with Musharraf – which was reflected in their decision to turn down the former president’s request to delay party polls until the expiry of the legal bar – some leaders of the PML-Q still maintain close contacts with him.
“A number of PML-Q leaders – such as Ameer Muqam, Marvi Memon, Nisar Memon, Raza Hayat Hiraj and others – are still affiliated with Musharraf, and may back him to enter politics … creating another fissure within the PML-Q,” said a party source.