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| November 17, 2006 | Friday | Shawwal 24, 1427 |
US state dept official meets PPP leaders
ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Leaders of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) on Thursday briefed a visiting US State Department official on the prevailing political situation in the country and expressed their concern over the US policy of supporting Gen Pervez Musharraf, sources in the party told Dawn.
The sources said that Director Office of Bangladesh and Pakistan Desk at the State Department Karen Aguilar and Cecil Shea, the deputy head of the political section of US Embassy in Pakistan visited the PPP Central Secretariat to know the viewpoint of the major opposition party about the next general elections.
The PPP leaders who were present in the meeting included former Senator Dr Abdullah Riar, information secretary of the party Sherry Rehman, MNA Syed Naveed Qamar, PPP Punjab information secretary Farzana Raja, and members of the Foreign Liaison Committee BA Malik, Sheikh Mansoor and Palwasha Behram.
The PPP leaders, the sources said, told the US officials that free and fair elections were not possible under the Musharraf regime. They also expressed their concern over the US policy of supporting a military government in Pakistan.
The PPP leaders also tried to convince the US officials that Gen Musharraf was not sincere in his efforts to eliminate terrorism and extremism from Pakistan.
The PPP leaders were of the view that a democratic Pakistan could be a better ally of the democratic US than the military- riddled Pakistan.
The sources said the US officials were also keen to hear from the PPP leaders something about the reports regarding deal between the party and the Musharraf regime.
Meanwhile, French Ambassador Regis de Belenet and his political counsellor Sylvan Riquier called on Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, secretary general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and coordinator Foreign Liaison Committee Mohammad Mehdi to discuss the internal situation in Pakistan, says a party handout on Thursday.
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