LAHORE, Aug 11: The Abu Dhabi meeting between President Musharraf and Ms Benazir Bhutto was held on the general’s asking, PPP leader Begum Abida Husain said here on Saturday.

She told reporters at her residence that the general wanted a safe exit and he had sought mediation of various people to negotiate the same with the PPP leadership.

A former minister and ambassador, Abida said the PPP chairperson agreed to meet the general for the sake of democracy.

She said on her return to London after meeting the general, the PPP chairperson had given many interviews to the international and Pakistani media and shared all details she thought she could. These interviews were given in the presence of a large number of party leaders, who were in London to seek party tickets for the upcoming elections and, thus, they all listened to what Ms Bhutto said of the meeting.

Answering a question, Abida said it was for the general to prove in the Supreme Court that he was eligible to contest the election. In case the apex court cleared him, still he would become a titular head of state in the days ahead, said the former ambassador.She claimed that Gen Musharraf’s graph had nose-dived within no time. A few months ago nobody believed that the general would get weaker so soon.

Abida said although some people had expressed reservations about Ms Bhutto’s meeting with Gen Musharraf, the PPP chairperson had taken a better decision in the interest of the country.

She said everybody had the right to have his or her own opinion on any issue. However, he said, those who wanted the country make a smooth transition to democracy would support Ms Bhutto’s move.

Replying to a question, she said the ruling PML stood no future.

Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, the PPP leader said, had admitted that he had proposed imposition of emergency several months ago when the interior minister had been attacked by militants. Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was of the view that the emergency rule should be enforced now. “This shows that the party is in disarray”.

She said the PPP had selected its candidates for the next elections on merit and in consultation with the party office-bearers. However, she said, those selected at the London meetings were only ‘forerunners’, and the party could make some changes to the list at a later stage, keeping in mind the requirements of the emerging situation.