12 November,2017 09:30 AM IST | Islamabad | Agencies
Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf has formed a grand alliance of 23 political parties, according to media reports
Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf has formed a "grand alliance" of 23 political parties, according to media reports. The grand alliance named Pakistan Awami Ittehad (PAI) will be headed by 74-year-old Musharraf, while Iqbal Dar has been appointed as Secretary General. Addressing media persons through video conferencing from Dubai, the former president said all parties representing Muhajir (migrant) community should be united, local media reported.
Pervez Musharraf said all parties representing Muhajir community must be united. Pic/Getty images
He invited the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) to join the new political alliance. About the nature of alliance, he said all the member parties will contest together with one name. Musharraf denied reports that he was going to head the MQM, claiming that it was "ridiculous" to think that he would want to be head of a "minor, ethnic party". "MQM-Pakistan is merely half of what the [original] party used to be," he said. "I am concerned about [the internal problems] of the party; however, I have no interest in replacing Farooq Sattar or Mustafa Kamal even if their parties are united," he insisted. Criticising MQM, he said, "The muhajir community would do better to abandon ethnic politics and join PAI."
