Musharraf launches new Pakistani political party

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf launched a new political party in London on Friday. He unveiled the All Pakistan Muslim League with which he will contest the next elections in 2013 as a civilian.

Reuters

"The time has come to make Pakistan into a progressive, modern Islamic state," he said, adding that Pakistan’s current government is failing to “show any signs of light in the darkness that prevails in Pakistan”.

The 67-year-old has spent the last two years in London after a series of attempts on his life. He is also threatened with treason charges if he returns, but he said he would return to Pakistan before the next election.

"Today there is no case against me in the courts of Pakistan,” he said. “Whatever cases have been instituted have been done on political grounds. That, I am prepared to face when I get there.”

 
Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999 and quit in August 2008 after a new government led by the party of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto threatened to impeach him.