Teaming up with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to dislodge Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan has predicted the General’s fall from power within a year.

“Musharraf is mortally wounded (following the nation-wide agitation sparked by the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry). He may struggle for a while, but he will fall. In my opinion he is not going to last this year when we have free and fair elections,” Khan said at a function in the London School of Economics on Tuesday evening.

Khan had a meeting with Sharif early on Wednesday and at a joint press conference they announced that they would hold a conference in London on July 7-8 to chart their course of action to which Bhutto would also be invited.

“We will work together and not just against this dictatorship but even when we think that Musharraf’s tenure is over... because our objectives are the same,” Khan said.

Asked about his talks with Sharif, Khan said he was closest to the exiled former prime minister as he has “clearest agenda — no compromise with Musharraf”.

Bhutto deal

He also criticised former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for her efforts at striking a deal with Musharraf.
“Former prime minister and chief of Pakistan People’s Party  (PPP) Benazir Bhutto talks about a deal with Musharraf and the deal you can have (with the military ruler) is detrimental to Pakistan.”

Musharraf overthrew Sharif in a 1999 coup and then retained power in 2002 elections after gathering disaffected members of Sharif’s PML and Bhutto’s PPP. Sharif, who lives in exile in London, said at the press conference that he had signed a “charter of democracy” with Bhutto which spoke of “cutting no deals with army dictators.”

“I stand by that charter of democracy... I expect Benazir Bhutto to also stick by it,” he said.
In an interview to Geo TV, Sharif said he will also support Khan’s campaign against the party.