Karachi: Pakistan's former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, who is facing serious criminal charges, on Sunday said his party will "fully" participate in local government polls expected to take place later in 2015.
"We will fully take part in local government elections," said Musharraf who heads the All Pakistan Muslim League.
He dismissed speculation about him joining the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and said his party would contest the forthcoming local elections independently.
Musharraf, 71, told a gathering in Karachi that there had been recent meetings between him and MQM leaders but said it was just to discuss the political scenario.
"They were more courtesy calls and nothing more," he said. "We will go in local body polls with the slogan of 'Pakistan first' and win," the former army chief said while chairing his party's executive committee meeting.
"The party is incomplete without reorganisation. However, it should be at grassroots if you want to bring it at country- wide level," he said.
Noting that politics in Pakistan faces a major challenge, Musharraf said the country progressed during his tenure due to fair distribution of resources.
"Pakistan needs a third political power," he said while speaking on the need for a third political force in the country to save the country from the menace of extremism. He said the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was the single biggest threat in Karachi city.
"To me religious terrorism is the most dangerous, because it is against all political forces in the country," he said. Elections to elect local government representatives are expected to take place in three provinces later this year.
Musharraf hailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan for making efforts to emerge as a third political power.
"Change in government is to be made through change in system," Musharraf said.
Musharraf faces a string of court cases dating back to his 1999-2008 rule, including treason charges over his imposition of emergency rule in 2007, involvement in the 2006 killing of Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Bugti, and the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. He has also been charged in the judges' detention case.
The former army chief grabbed power in 1999 in a bloodless coup and ruled till 2008.
Facing impeachment following elections in 2008, Musharraf resigned as president and went into self-exile in Dubai. He returned to Pakistan after five years to contest the general election in 2013 which his party lost.
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