Musharraf primarily wanted to 8216;secure his office8217;: Sherpao

'Musharraf continued to deceive his political allies till the last moment by saying that Bhutto would not return to Pak before the 2008 elections.

Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf primarily wanted to 8220;secure his office8221; and was even willing to align with the PPP and Awami National Party after the 2008 elections,a former interior minister has said.

Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao,the chief of PPP-Sherpao,who formed his own party after developing differences with ex-premier Benzair Bhutto in the 1990s,said Musharraf continued to 8220;deceive8221; his political allies till the last moment by saying that Bhutto would not return to Pakistan from self-exile before the 2008 elections.

Sherpao,who held different portfolios in the Musharraf regime,said the former President primarily wanted to 8220;secure his office8221; and was even willing to align with the PPP and Awami National Party after the 2008 elections.

Musharraf consulted only his most trusted aides 8220;Tariq Aziz,Lt Gen retired Hamid Javed and company8221; while striking a deal with slain former premier Benazir Bhutto in 2007,say former allies of the dictator.

8220;Musharraf did not even bother to take all of us on board regarding his plans to strike a deal with Benazir. There is no truth in it reports that Musharraf had consulted his political allies to finalise the deal with the Pakistan Peoples8217; Party. Rather,he gave little importance to his political allies,8221; said Sherpao,a former interior minister.

8220;It was Tariq Aziz,the former National Security Adviser,and company whom Musharraf trusted most and consulted regarding his moves,8221; he said.

As part of the secret understanding with Bhutto,Musharraf promulgated the National Reconciliation Ordinance,a graft amnesty that benefited thousands including Bhutto8217;s widower Asif Ali Zardari,while the PPP did not boycott the 2007 presidential election.

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While launching his new All Pakistan Muslim League party on Friday,Musharraf told a gathering in London that he had committed a mistake by issuing the NRO.

Bhutto wanted an amendment in the constitution to become Prime Minister for the third time or the closure of cases against her,Zardari and her party leaders,he said.

8220;My allies had permitted me to issue the NRO,8221; Musharraf said. Salim Saifullah,chief of a dissident group in the PML-Q,said he had opposed the promulgation of the NRO when Musharraf consulted him.

8220;I had even opposed Musharraf8217;s November 3 and May 12 steps to impose emergency and act against the Supreme Court Chief Justice. Even a person having little political vision could not have gone in for such steps,8221; he said.

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Saifullah,who too was a minister in the Musharraf regime,said the former military ruler had a very 8220;limited circle8221; that he banked on for advice.