Sharif's PML to reconvene All Parties Conference

Islamabad, May 19: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (N) has decided to reconvene the All Parties Conference (APC) in London in June to devise a strategy for a joint anti-government protest movement in the wake of the judicial crisis and Karachi killings of May 12.

Daily Times newspaper quoted Ahsan Iqbal, PML-N Information Secretary as saying that consultations on the proposed APC would commence in a couple of days as the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim would be back from Dubai.

The ARD mainly comprises the PML(N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, which is reportedly in contact with President Musharraf to finalise a power sharing deal after parliamentary elections scheduled towards the end of this year or early next year.

But the PPP denies it is striking any deal with Mr Musharraf.

''Fahim is the ARD Chairman and we want to initiate the consultations after taking him into confidence,'' Mr Iqbal said.

The APC was scheduled to be held in March but was postponed after Gen Musharraf sacked former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on March 9 for misuse of powers.

Mr Iqbal said invitations for the APC would be sent to opposition parties after finalising the dates in consultation with senior opposition leaders.

''The national scenario has changed drastically after the judicial crisis and Karachi killings, and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto' s participation will definitely give the APC a big boost,'' Mr Iqbal said.

His remarks came to the backdrop of recent remarks by Gen Musharraf that both Ms Bhutto and Mr Sharif would not be allowed to return to Pakistan before the elections.

UNI