LONDON Perhaps anticipating just in time Wednesday's summons from the Supreme Court to defend his November 3, 2007, actions former president general (retd) Pervez Musharraf had a meeting with Karachi's leading constitutional and corporate lawyer Nafees Siddiqui here on Tuesday and discussed with him the pros and cons of the emerging situation.
Talking to Dawn, the former secretary general of Sindh PPP confirmed that he had met Musharraf on Tuesday at his London flat, but understandably refused to give any details except that since he was in London he thought it only right to call on an 'old friend'.
'You see our friendship goes back to days long before he became Pakistan's president,' claimed Mr Siddiqui who still has a seat in the PPP's CEC and also heads its foreign liaison committee.
Mr Siddiqui also confirmed that he had met MQM Chief Altaf Hussain at the party's international headquarters.
When asked if he was being wooed by the MQM to cross over, Mr Siddiqui who appears to be having problems with the top PPP leadership said he could not even think of leaving the PPP for which he claimed he had given a lifetime. He said the MQM was a political reality in urban Sindh 'and for me whose politics is based in Karachi I think it is essential that I keep a sensible relationship with Muttahida's top leaders'.
'Moreover, when your own leadership has willingly conceded the entire urban Sindh turf to the MQM what other options are left for you other than to try to keep on the right side of the Muttahida,' he said in a voice dripping with disappointment.
He, however, gave the impression that he was still hopeful of getting a senate ticket from the PPP as soon as a seat falls vacant, 'You see I am the only one well known non-MQM Karachi politician who suits the PPP ideologically as well as politically.'
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports said that the Muttahida leadership was taking a fresh look at its relationship with Musharraf following PPP government's decision to wrap up the local governments.
'MQM's emissaries have started calling on the former president,' said a source not wanting to be named. He said the newly elected office-bearers of the PML-Q led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain were also expected to arrive in the UK soon to mend fences with Musharraf and also discuss with him party's future political strategy.
