April 08, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 19, 1428

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LAHORE, April 7: PPP-Parliamentarians President Makhdoom Amin Fahim doesn’t give much importance to the closure of a NAB office in Lahore as cases against Ms Benazir Bhutto are still being pursued.

Talking to Dawn from Dubai, he said: “We have no reason to welcome this step, as this doesn’t bring any relief to the PPP leadership. The cases against Ms Benazir Bhutto are being pursued. Therefore, the winding up of a NAB office has no significance”.

Mr Fahim said he was not aware of any formal or informal contact between the government and Ms Benazir Bhutto. Had there been any, he said, he must have been aware of it.

According to him, the government was spreading rumours about a deal with the PPP to deflect attention from the action taken against the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Replying to a question, Mr Fahim said Ms Bhutto would return to Pakistan immediately after the announcement of the election schedule. According to him, the self-exiled former prime minister did not need government’s permission to return to her country.

Meanwhile, PPP leader and former governor Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar called on Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif in Dubai on Friday. The situation in the country was the major subject of discussions.

Mr Khar said while talking to Dawn that the prevailing situation in Pakistan was ‘explosive’ and in case the rulers did not extend an olive branch to the exiled leaders, the country was bound to face anarchy.

He said the rulers should realize the sensitivity of the situation and hold talks with the exiled leaders. A belated initiative, he said, would not produce any useful results.

Khar said he discussed with the exiled leaders as to when and how they should return to Pakistan.