10 February 2004	Tuesday	18 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Feb 9: The acting parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, has asserted that a US citizen, Frank Howard Junior, who was in-charge of the election campaign of US President George Bush, has been appointed Gen Pervez Musharraf's lobbyist.

Chaudhry Nisar told Dawn that Mr Howard ran a public relations firm in Bethesda, a suburb of Washington, and played an important role in the Bush-Cheney election campaign. He said Mr Howard had been staying in a five-star hotel in Islamabad for the past many days and meeting various people.

Chaudhry Nisar asked the government to tell the nation whether Mr Howard had been hired by the Pakistan government or he had been assigned by the US government for the job. He said it was the right of the nation to know whether secret funds were being used to pay Mr Howard for his services.

When contacted at his hotel, Mr Howard said he ran a public relations firm named "Eagle" and he was here on "business". Mr Howard refused to give further information.