JEDDAH, 27 June 2005 — Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has succeeded in keeping the contentious Kashmir issue in focus and is confident of resolving it “as soon as possible,” according to Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Muslim League Chairman Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
“We’re of the view that Kashmiris should be made a party to the dispute between Pakistan and India, and should be allowed to exercise the right of self-determination. The Indian government has also adopted a positive attitude toward finding a final settlement of the Kashmir problem,” Shujaat Hussain said here yesterday.
He said his party was preparing to contest the upcoming national and civic elections and was confident of getting a majority. “We’ll establish contact with other parties including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after the election results,” he said hinting that in the event of forming a coalition government his party would not hesitate to have truck with other “likeminded” parties.
Referring to reports that there were dissentions in his party, Shujaat Hussain said: “There’s none. It’s all created by rumormongers. I’ve been working toward making the party more cohesive. I would like to coordinate the efforts of my party members to make the party a strong and progressive entity.”
“If someone opposes my views, I do consider their personal opinion, but if someone within my party takes a stand against democracy I’ll send them a notice,” he said.
On the issue of the pipeline project from Iran to India via Pakistan, he said: “We think that this will be in the best interests of all three nations.” About the stunning victory of Tehran Mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Saturday’s presidential elections, he said: “We welcome the election outcome.
He is young and youthful and we can expect our bilateral relation with Iran to improve further.” He assured the local expatriate community that back home Pakistan was on way toward rapid progress. He said Pakistanis would find lot of improvement in the country in the days to come. He urged the community to continue to invest in Pakistan’s ongoing development.
President Leaves for Pakistan
Mohammad Yusuf adds from Madinah: Governor Prince Muqrin received Musharraf on his arrival to the city yesterday. Press Attache at Pakistan Consulate Sohail Ali Khan said Musharraf offered prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque before leaving for Pakistan. A large number of Pakistanis greeted the president outside the mosque.
Musharraf dismissed as “speculation” claims by senior US officials that they know where Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden is hiding, in remarks reported yesterday. “Any talk about his whereabouts is mere speculation,” Musharraf told the Emirati daily Al-Khaleej. “Some are saying that Bin Laden is in Pakistan, and what I want to tell them is: Please come and tell us where he is.
Anyone can say that he (Bin Laden) is anywhere, so why talk about his presence here (in Pakistan)?”
On Thursday, US Vice President Dick Cheney said he had “a pretty good idea” of where Bin Laden was hiding, echoing comments by CIA Director Porter Goss, who said he had an “excellent idea”.
