Former President Pervez Musharraf along with PML-Q President Ch. Shujaat hussain talks with newsmen in Islamabad.—PPI

ISLAMABAD Former president Pervez Musharraf has reportedly advised Pakistan Muslim League-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to support the Pakistan Peoples Party instead of Nawaz Sharifs PML-N, sources privy to the meeting told Dawn.

Musharraf had visited Hussains residence on Thursday. The former army chiefs suggestion was reportedly given a cold shoulder and the PML-Q leaders refused to accept the advice. The PML-Q leaders reportedly replied that all political decisions would be taken after consensus of the party leadership, the sources added.

It is widely believed that Musharraf left the presidency as a result of an understanding with the PPP, the basis of which was the National Recoinciliation Ordinance.

Talking to newsmen after his meeting with Q-leaguers, Musharraf refused to say that his visit had anything to do with political discussions and insisted that he came to see the PML-Q president only to condole the death of Shujaats mother.

When his comments were sought on the latest terror attack in Lahore, he said that it was part of a deep rooted conspiracy against Pakistan.

It is a conspiracy against Pakistan as the attack had destroyed the future of cricket in the country, Musharraf said.

Pakistan remains in the grip of serious problems, he said.

He strongly condemned the attack on the Sri Lankan team and said that the elite force should have responded within three seconds of the attack and killed at least some of the attackers.

If this was the elite force, I would have expected them to shoot down anybody attacking the team. They should have responded in less than three seconds.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the level of training of the Elite Force, saying they should be trained in a way to respond in the minimum possible time.

He said he would be able to give his detailed views only when the investigations were complete.

When asked whether he extended any advice to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the former president insisted they did not discuss politics.

He also refused to comment on the imposition of governor rule in Punjab.

He also avoided giving details of the charges against deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Quizzed about the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), he said he would speak on the NRO in detail at an appropriate time.

Faisal Saleh Hayat, Raza Hayat Hiraj, Tariq Azim and senior leaders of the PML-Q were also present during the meeting between Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.