Musharraf doesn't rule out presidency at CNN interview

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Former president tells CNN deals with Taliban several years ago were a mistake

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Former president Pervez Musharraf is not ruling out the possibility of running for office once again.

Speaking on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, Musharraf said he wished the current government well and that he “would be the happiest person” if the nation dealt well with threats posed by the growing strength of the Taliban. The programme is scheduled to air on Sunday.

“If Pakistan is in trouble and if any Pakistani, myself included – if you can see that we can do something for it – well ... my life is for Pakistan,” he said.

Musharraf mentioned that the law would allow him to run for office in Pakistan in six months. “We’re not running for office in six months,” he said.

Deals with Taliban: Musharraf said deals with the Taliban several years ago were a mistake because “it was not from a position of strength”. But, if the military is able to take the upper hand, more deals may be needed to calm fighting by the fundamentalists.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg7_3