Musharraf regime invites Shahbaz to join national govt

ISLAMABAD: The regime of President Pervez Musharraf has invited ex-Premier Nawaz Sharif's brotherShahbaz to be part of national government to be formed before next month's general election and proposed a 'future role' for him after the polls, according to a media report.
   
Shahbaz, the President of PML-N party, dashed to Islamabad on Saturday for a day-long visit during which he held separate meetings with Brig (retired) Niaz Ahmad, a close aide of Musharraf, Saudi Ambassador Ali Awadhi Al Asseri and Wajahat Latif, former chief of Federal Investigation Agency.
   
PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal had denied reports of contacts between the military regime and the party, saying Shahbaz was meeting Ahmad as the latter was a close friend and was unwell.
   
Local daily 'Dawn', however, quoted sources as saying that Ahmad had passed on a message from Musharraf to Shahbaz "about the formation of a national government before the general election."
   
Sources in the PML-N said Musharraf had suggested that Shahbaz should "become a part of the proposed government". They said Musharraf had also proposed a "future role" for Shahbaz after the February 18 parliamentary polls.

Shahbaz told Ahmad that he would not reply to the proposals without consulting his brother, the sources said.

This was the second meeting between Shahbaz and Ahmad last week. Neither side would confirm or deny that they had met earlier.

Speculation about negotiations between the PML-N and the regime increased as Shahbaz also met the ambassador of Saudi Arabia, which played a key role in the return of the Sharif brothers to Pakistan from exile in November.