THATTA, Dec 11: The country needs a political change before it is too late, former president Pervez Musharraf said while addressing a public meeting here on Sunday through telephone from New York.

“Pakistan has great potential and can overcome every crisis, but it lacks sincere and wise leadership to steer it through this difficult phase,” Pervez Musharraf, who is chief of the All Pakistan Muslim League, said.

He called upon youth to come forward to play its role in putting to an end the politics of “lies, cheating, loot and plunder”.

The Pakistan People’s Party’s government, he said, had committed a blunder by abolishing the local bodies system, which he claimed had benefited the poor.

He said it was for the nation to determine, in the general election, whether “I was in the wrong or the present government”.

The former president said economy was in tatters as the government had failed to cope with gas and electricity shortage, rising prices and lawlessness.

“Investors are fleeing the country in droves. I am worried about Pakistan and shed tears for my people despite being thousands of miles away from them.”

He said he would soon address public meetings in Sukkur and Karachi through phone and the gatherings would prove he still commanded respect of the nation.

Pervez Musharraf recalled that he had visited Thatta thrice during his rule to show “my love and thank the people for their support”.

The provincial head of the APML, Raees Ghulam Rasool Unnar, said the day was not far when people would call “plunderers to account”.

He claimed that the country saw “unparalleled development” during Musharraf’s rule.