Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will launch his political party in London on Friday. Party associates have arrived in London where Musharraf will unveil the tenants of his political party, The All Pakistan Muslim League, in a public gathering.
The former president, who was also the chief of Pakistani armed forces, has remained mostly in London ever since he resigned from the presidency in August 2008. His political aspirations remained a mystery until earlier this year when he commented on forming a party.
He has described the All Pakistan Muslim League as the launch pad for political reforms in Pakistan, a country that has been besieged by corruption, poor economy, and terrorism.
"There is a sense of despondency spreading in Pakistan and the place that they go to is the military. There is nobody else people can go to," he said in a BBC interview.
He has also expressed his desire to end his self-imposed exile and return to Pakistan before the 2013 elections. There are scores of legal cases pending against Mr. Musharraf in Pakistan, including those that accuse him of treason. He has dismissed the cases as politically motivated.
The prospects of APML gaining political ground remain low as the party does not have a political base in Pakistan. Musharraf staged a coup against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999 and ruled the country for over eight years. He played a key role in the War on Terror though the fallout from his domestic policies ultimately cost him his presidency.
