LAHORE, Nov 11: The PML-Q had never discussed the idea of making Gen Pervez Musharraf its president and any such move would be “premature” as long as the general was in his uniform, said party’s acting president, Gen Majeed Malik (retired), on Tuesday.

He had been asked to comment on Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s proposal that Gen Musharraf should give up one of the two offices he was holding at present and assume leadership of the ruling party. “This may be a personal opinion of the minister. I don’t know how serious was he in floating the idea. The PML president is chosen through a procedure given in the party constitution,” he said.

Gen Malik said this was not the right time to start new controversies as the country was already in the grip of a storm kicked off by the opposition on the issue of the LFO.

He said what Sheikh Rashid had said was not a new idea as Field Marshal Ayub Khan had also taken over the Convention Muslim League.

Gen Malik said it was for Gen Musharraf to decide when to take off his military uniform and whether or not to join any political party.

He did not think that Sheikh Rashid had floated the idea in consultation with Gen Musharraf.

It may be pointed out that the information minister is the third leader to propose that Gen Musharraf should take over leadership of the ruling party.

Syed Kabir Ali Wasti was the first to make the offer. At the time he was heading his own faction of the PML, which was subsequently merged with the PML-Q.

The proposal was repeated by Functional Muslim League president Pir Pagara, who is now making efforts to bring five factions of the PML on a single platform. Though he is not a candidate for leadership of the unified party, he is convinced that the chief executive of the country will be in a better position to lead the ruling party. He does not explain whether the chief executive of the country is the president or the prime minister, but sources close to him claim that the Sindhi leader thinks that Gen Musharraf is the real leader as all powers are with him. For the time being, however, he supports Chaudhry Shujaat Husain for the office. On being told that the ruling party was violating the Political Parties Order by failing to separate the party and government offices, Gen Malik said the matter would come under discussion after Chaudhry Shujaat Husain’s return from Germany.

The PML-Q president has underwent a sinus operation in Germany, where doctors advised him complete rest for a couple of weeks. He is expected to return by Eid.

Gen Malik said his party was aware of its obligations under the PPO, which it would meet as soon as possible.