Musharraf asks PML-Q chief to quit

Lahore, Mar 21 : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has asked, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief, Shujaat Hussain to quit the party office.

According to Musharraf, since Hussain has 'lost' the confidence of majority of party members its high time that he quit.

Musharraf had met several PML-Q leaders on Wednesday after the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.

"The people say that you have lost the support of the party," Musharraf had told the party leaders.

Sources in the party said the leaders were surprised by Musharraf's blunt statement and Shujaat Hussain had challenged the president's contention asking him to convene a meeting of important party leaders to resolve the issue.

During Wednesday meeting, some leaders of the party came out in the open against Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi, saying the party had suffered because of poor handling of issues by the cousins, The News reported.

One of the president's top aides was instrumental in the bid to oust Hussain, said sources.

Those who were supporting Hussain and his brother were not comfortable with Musharraf's statement. They believe the president was not only kissing his political supporters goodbye, but he was also trying to pass on the blame of all the previous government's failures upon them.

The daily pointed out that if Musharraf vanishes from the "political scene or lives for another five years amidst new political friends, he has put the onus of braving harsh times ahead on the Chaudhrys alone after having let his former PM slip out of the country."

ANI