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| India-Pakistan |
| Shujaat to continue dialogue with Lal Masjid admin |
| 2007-04-10 |
| The government has mandated Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), to continue talks with the administration of Lal Masjid to end the tense standoff in the capital peacefully. The decision was made at a high-level meeting chaired by President Gen Pervez Musharraf. The meeting decided to allow more time for negotiations as an armed confrontation would put more pressure on the government, which is already being criticised for its handling of the judicial crisis, sources privy to the meeting told Daily Times. “Talks should be the first priority and use of force the last resort,” Gen Musharraf was quoted as saying. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao and Law Minister Wasi Zafar were of the view that given the track record of the Lal Masjid administration, it was unlikely that talks would succeed, said the sources. However, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Shujaat opined that the government could not afford to “open another front” at this time in view of the judicial crisis. “Let not the black coat and burqa get together,” the sources quoted Shujaat as saying. |
| Posted by:Fred |