Mush ditch effort to clinch deal with Bhutto

Islamabad, Sep 1: The Musharraf regime has made a last-ditch effort by activating two different diplomatic channels to clinch a deal with Benazir Bhutto and stop Nawaz Sharif from returning to Pakistan, after a deadlock in the talks with Bhutto.

Contacts were established with the British and Saudi Governments after Musharraf consulted and briefed the PML-Q leaders on the "proposals" being discussed with Bhutto, and Sharif"s decision to return, sources said.

They said that after Bhutto declined to postpone the joint meeting of her party"s Central Working Committee (CEC) and federal council beyond August 31, it was decided to involve a "common friend" through diplomatic channels to act as guarantor and broker a "deal" between Musharraf and Bhutto.

The common friend is the British Government and a meeting between a senior British official and Bhutto took place before the latter chaired her party meeting.

PPP Information Secretary Sherry Rehman confirmed from London that a meeting had indeed taken place between British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Bhutto.

Rehman said that it was a meeting, not a call on, and added that the "forthcoming election(s)" were discussed.

Sources said that former British High Commissioner to Islamabad, Mark Lyall Grant, was earlier involved in contacts between the Pakistan Government and the two former premiers.

Grant is presently political director at the British Foreign Office and is said to be in touch with NSC Secretary Tariq Aziz who is still in London and in constant touch with Rehman Malik, who is the interlocutor from Benazir"s side.

It is learnt that Musharraf"s Chief of Staff Lt General (retired) Hamid Javed will arrive in London on Saturday with a "message" for Bhutto before the announcement of the decisions to be taken at the PPP meeting.

ISI DG Lt Gen Ashfaq Kayani might accompany Javed, but this could not be confirmed.

The government was keeping all its options open to get Musharraf re-elected even if a "deal" with Bhutto could not be finalised, the Daily Times quoted sources, as saying.

Among the possibilities and options available to the government a dialogue with the MMA, particularly with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, was top priority in case Bhutto did not show any flexibility on the issues of Article 58(2-b) and the President"s uniform.

ANI
>