World | Pakistan
'Excessive' Benazir demands stall deal dialogue
Ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said yesterday the dialogue with Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto has stalled because of her excessive demands.
- By Shahid Hussain and Wajid Ali Wajid, Correspondents
- Published: 23:29 September 7, 2007
Islamabad: Ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said yesterday the dialogue with Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto has stalled because of her excessive demands.
"At the moment the dialogue is in a suspension mode," Hussain said while participating in a talk show on state-run television.
He denied reports that President Pervez Musharraf's key aide Tariq Aziz had held a meeting with former prime minister Benazir, following talks between the two earlier.
Hussain said the PML and its allies were opposed to Benazir's demands calling for a ban on a third term for prime minister to be removed, the presidential powers to dissolve parliament and government to be scrapped and local government setup to be disbanded before the general election.
He said the talks with the PPP had made some progress but Benazir increased her demands and that created problems.
Senior lawyer M.D. Tahir yesterday moved a petition before the Lahore High Court challenging a deal between Musharraf and Benazir.
He said the deal was against the interest of the nation and was a loss of public exchequer.
Tahir said that meetings between Musharraf and Benazir were being arranged by the American administration because President George W. Bush knew both were anti-Taliban and believed in enlightened moderation.
He said there were serious allegations of corruption against Benazir while Musharraf had been allotted vast agricultural land in Cholistan.
He said as a result of the deal, the criminal cases against Benazir were being withdrawn, adding there were several prisoners rotting in jails because of non-payment of Diyat and Daman.
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