Dubai: Former president of Pakistan General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has supported the plan to have more provinces in Pakistan in a bid to have better administrative control.
"Yes, I believe more provinces should be created all over the country as it will help better administrative control, reduce feelings of deprivation in different groups and improve the law and order situation in the country," said Musharraf while addressing an iftar dinner he hosted for Pakistan Journalists Forum (PJF) in the UAE.
The Pakistani government led by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has been striving to divide Punjab into two province by creating a separate province in South Punjab but the Pakistan Muslim League led by Nawaz Sharif has strongly opposed the move.
However, Musharraf said that more provinces should be created not just in Punjab but all over the country, including Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa.
"Decentralisation of power is important to give immediate relief and justice to people at the grassroots level," he said.
Senior leaders present
Musharraf's interaction with PJF members lasted for about two hours during which he explained his motives behind joining politics and launching his own political party — All Pakistan Muslim League (APML). Also present were his senior party leaders including General (retd) Rashid Quraishi, Barrister Mohammad Saif, Dr Amjad, Brigadier (retd) Harris, Col (retd) Sher Ali, Khurrum Haris, Akbar Ali Shah, Farzana Mansour and Zil-e-Huma.
Musharraf reiterated that he would go back to Pakistan on March 23 next year after his party organisation is completed.
"APML will emerge as a third political force and alternative to the current political parties because the people of Pakistan want change," he said.
He said that he would take his chances in a bid to make a comeback to power to save Pakistan.
Dysfunctional
He said the current government in Pakistan had become completely dysfunctional while the administration structure had broken down and the country was facing political turmoil in addition to the law and order situation.
"I believe the Karachi issue is more of an ethnic problem but there is some ‘external hand' involved in creating the unrest in a bid to destabilise the largest city of Pakistan," he said, adding that the Karachi situation should be brought under control.
"If the rangers fail, the army should intervene to ensure peace and safety of lives and property of people," he said when asked whether the army should take control of the city.
Evasive on court action
Former President of Pakistan General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has refused to comment on a court decision declaring him absconder in former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination case.
"I don't have to answer these questions as my legal team is handling them," he said when asked to comment by a journalist at an iftar dinner he hosted on Saturday in Dubai. However, he was surprised at the seizure of a bank account worth Rs80 million.
"If it is mine, then please give it in charity," he laughed. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday ordered seizure of Musharraf`s property and freezing of his bank accounts while declaring him absconder in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.
