Pakistan President May Meet Ex-PM Bhutto in UAE for Final Talks – Paper

Text of report by Zulfiqar Ghuman headlined “Musharraf and Benazir to meet in Abu Dhabi?” published by Pakistani newspaper Daily Times website on 1 September

Islamabad: President General Pervez Musharraf may visit Abu Dhabi in the next few days for a final round of talks with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairwoman Benazir Bhutto, official sources told Daily Times on Friday [31 August].

“This will be a make or break meeting between the two leaders, which will take place after hectic consultations with respective parties and detailed parleys between Bhutto and Musharraf’s aides,” said sources close to these developments.

It is learnt that National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain was “under instructions” to remain in Islamabad since he could be asked any time to assume responsibilities as acting president in the absence of Senate Chairman Muhammadmian Soomro from Pakistan in case Gen Musharraf decides to leave for Abu Dhabi. Mr Soomro is currently in London.

The sources said that Gen Musharraf could leave for Abu Dhabi to meet Benazir Bhutto at short notice after getting a go ahead from his emissaries in London. “Both leaders have made up their minds about the extent to which they can accommodate each other’s demands and will be making last ditch efforts to secure a deal,” the sources said.

Benazir had earlier set 31 August as a cut-off date for Gen Musharraf to respond to her demands. She is under pressure from her party to announce her return after PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz faction] chief Nawaz Sharif decided to return on 10 September.

Originally published by Daily Times website, Lahore, in English 01 Sep 07.

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring South Asia. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.