After Musharraf declares wish to live in Pak, US says it may consider his asylum bid

Washington, Aug 20 : After former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf yesterday declared that he had no plans to flee to some other country and wished to stay in his home country for the rest of his life calling Pakistan as his "first love", Washington changed its earlier stand and said that it was ready to consider his asylum bid, if any.

According to the Daily Times, a US State Department spokesman said that though so far the US had not got any asylum application from Musharraf, but will study it and might consider it, if made by the ex-president.

"We haven't been asked to provide him with any asylum or place of residence. If he chooses to take up residence somewhere ... we would obviously look at it," the paper quoted the spokesman Robert Wood as saying.

Earlier in the day, in a TV interview, Musharraf said that Pakistan was his first love and he would like to lead the rest of his life in his home country. "My resignation as president does not reflect my defeat as I resigned in the interest of Pakistan and its people," the paper quoted him as saying in the TV interview.

Musharraf met with various delegations during the day and said that he did not intend to leave the country, as it was his "first love". Musharraf also said that he would soon issue a white paper on economy as he had promised in his last address to the nation.

ANI