Lahore: Fawad Chaudhry, the spokesman for Pervez Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League, has resigned from his position due to differences with the party’s top leadership over the former military ruler’s planned return from self-exile. Chaudhry, the party’s secretary general, submitted his resignation to Musharraf on Tuesday.
He told PTI he had opposed Musharraf’s planned homecoming at the end of this month. “I had a disagreement with the party leadership over some important decisions. I was of the view that Musharraf should have come to Pakistan earlier. This is not the appropriate time for his homecoming,” he said.
In his resignation, Chaudhry said: “I feel that my sincere advice on various political matters has not been given due weight. I have also not been invited to APML’s recent core committee meetings. Decisions have been taken without taking me into confidence. Therefore, I cannot defend them as your spokesman in the media.”
Chaudhry said he was considering the option of joining other political parties, including Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf. However, APML senior vice-president Ahmed Raza Kasuri said this was the “most appropriate time” for Musharraf to return to Pakistan and preparations were being made to welcome him. “We believe that Musharraf has a strong following in the country and his presence will make a big difference in the current political scenario,” he said. Kasuri said there would be no change in Musharraf’s plans to return to the country.
“He will arrive in Karachi between January 27 and 30,” he said.
A few months ago, APML vice-president Sher Afgan Khan Niazi had quit the party after developing differences with his colleagues. (PTI)
