Being concerned over the current economic situation and some governance-related issues, President Pervez Musharraf will soon hold a special meeting with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. “The economy is on the decline and is unable to withstand the growing pressure because of the surging oil prices in the international market,” a report carried by the leading English language daily The News said quoting unnamed sources close to Musharraf. “Because of this, the prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing and this is pushing the people to despair,” they added. The sources said that the interest of foreign investors in Pakistan was diminishing because of the political instability and the growing economic pressures. In this regard, the sources referred to nine foreign universities, including that of the US, Australia, Britain, Germany, that wanted to establish their campuses in Pakistan and all the modalities had been agreed upon in this regard but had withdrawn their decision because of the political instability. “The president recently contacted some of those universities and has asked them to review their decision,” the sources said. “There are indirect contacts between the ruling Pakistan People's Party and the Aiwan-e-Sadr though President Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari have not yet met.” The sources said the indirect contacts might have been established through the people who had participated in the talks between the government and the PPP in the past. They said the president was pursuing the policy of non-interference in the political affairs so that there was no turmoil in the country. They said the Aiwan-e-Sadr had neither any role in the government affairs nor was there any such scheme or intention. The sources asserted that the Aiwan-e-Sadr would maintain a low profile and fully cooperate with the government in addressing the issues. They said that some elements were destabilising Pakistan on the pretext of the judges' issue. They claimed that Musharraf had moved a reference against Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry with good intention but it was not heard at an appropriate forum. They alleged that Chaudhry was busy in acts that did not behoove the office of the chief judge. “For the time being, Musharraf does not want to summon a meeting of the National Security Council and will improve the situation by holding a meeting with the prime minister,” the sources said. __
