ISLAMABAD, March 29 Former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf has reached Dubai and convened a meeting of loyalists on April 2 to formally launch a political party, likely to be named All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).

An associate of Mr Musharraf told Dawn on Monday that the former president would stay in Dubai for about 10 days during which he might meet his friends in the PML-Q and its forward bloc.

Those who have been invited to Dubai include former interior minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, former information minister Muhammad Ali Durrani and some members of the forward bloc.

The meeting is being organised by Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, one of the trusted aides of the former president, who has sent invitations.

Barrister Saif is reported to have applied for registration of APML with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the application is likely to be heard next month.

According to sources, the application names some of the office-bearers of the APML - Barrister Saif as chairman, Sher Alam Khattak as president, Chuadhry Abdul Ghafoor as senior vice-president and Rai Mulazam Hussain as secretary general.

The sources said Mr Musharraf would take a party office after the party was formally launched.