Musharraf ready to meeting with Bhutto, Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he would he would consider meeting former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif if they requested for it.

His comments in a interview to Geo TV came after Bhutto and Sharif met in London two days ago where they agreed to carry on with their campaign against Musharraf and the army rule.

In the interview to be telecast on Sunday night, Musharraf said an inquiry report on the plane crash in which former President Ziaul Haq was killed, suggested that the pilots were rendered unconscious through gas, but no further inquiry was made on it, 'The News' reported.

Haq died in a mysterious plane crash in 1988. Those who were killed in the crash included the then US Ambassador to Pakistan.

In the interview, Musharraf reiterated his stand that the army chief should not be the country's head of state though he
held both the posts for the country's "better interests".

Musharraf said that his book 'In the Line of Fire' was written in his capacity as President and army general and noted that there is no clause in the constitution that says that a President cannot write a book.

He said that he has done nothing illegal by writing the book and criticism by certain circles in this regard are unfounded and baseless.

In response to a question, Musharraf said he never "ran away" from challenges and faced them head on with courage. He said due to his "tough training" as a commando, he is well prepared to deal with any challenges.