Musharraf tells of plans to regain power

Exiled Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf told a rally in Britain today of his plans to return to the country at the head of a new party in a bid to regain power.

The former premier, who led Pakistan for nine years from 1999 after taking power in a military coup, is launching a new political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League.

Addressing an audience of about 1,500 people in Birmingham, he admitted mistakes were made while he was in office but insisted he had learnt from them, according to an MP who attended.

Birmingham Labour MP Khalid Mahmood said: “It went very well. He said that at the end of his term in office there were mistakes made and he apologised for that.

“He said that if mistakes were made he would let people know what the circumstances behind those mistakes were.”

He pointed to his record in power, citing among his achievements the amount of money that came into Pakistan and the infrastructure such as roads and reservoirs that were built.

Mr Mahmood said: “He said that at the moment people are not able to feed themselves and that that didn’t happen when he was in power.

“He said he wanted to move forward and offer himself to the people.”

The ex-military ruler said he wanted a political party that would be accountable to the people and with its own democratic structure.

Power would not be inherited, he promised.

Mr Mahmood said: “He said democracy has got to be for more than one election term, it’s got to be how people are respected and dealt with.”

The former leader was offered a predominantly warm reception by the audience at New Bingley Hall, the MP said, and was greeted with chanting and waving.

Meanwhile members of the Islamic political organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir held a peaceful demonstration outside the venue.

The group branded Gen Musharraf “a slave of America” who supported the war against the Muslims of Afghanistan.

They massed outside the venue for about three and half hours under banners saying “Musharraf and Zardari: slaves of America” and “Pakistan needs an accountable ruler”.

Organiser Abdul Wahid said almost 300 protesters turned out and that the demonstration had gone “really well.”

He said: “Gen Musharraf looked put out. Some of the protesters had a photo of him with some shoes hanging on the photo and were hitting the photo in protest.

“It was peaceful, noisy and passionate and it made the point.”

The group’s spokesman, Taji Mustafa, said: “The purpose of our demonstration against Musharraf is clear: to expose a man who is no less a slave of America than (current Pakistani president Asif Ali) Zardari who he seeks to replace.

“He is the man...who fuelled bitter divisions within Pakistan; the man who allowed US security forces into Pakistan...

“Pakistan needs a new leadership and new system.”

West Midlands Police said officers were deployed to keep an eye on the protest as a precautionary measure.

A force spokesman said it had passed off peacefully and that no arrests had been made.

Gen Musharraf yesterday challenged Britain and the US to make the case for keeping their troops in Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban as he launched his new party in London.

He said the insurgents could be defeated but only if Western forces were not pulled out because of public pressure back home.

The former leader, who stepped down as president in 2008 under threat of impeachment and now lives in exile in the British capital, said he intended to return to his country to lead his new party.

He denied he faces charges of treason but accepted that he could be assassinated.

He criticised London and Washington for not explaining to voters why the West needs to be involved in the bloody war in Afghanistan, which has already claimed 338 British lives.