Rezaul H Laskar

Former President Pervez Musharraf will contest the upcoming general election from a parliamentary constituency in Chitral in northern Pakistan, members of his political party announced on Wednesday.

Musharraf will file nomination papers for the constituency in Chitral area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday, All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) leader Shahzada Khalid Pervez said.

Pervez said the APML has decided to field Musharraf from the mountainous constituency where the party has a "strong vote bank". He said he was optimistic that the APML chief would easily sail through polls in the constituency.

Musharraf had chosen the constituency in Chitral because the residents "wanted to pay tribute" to the former President for launching developmental programmes like the Lowari Tunnel, Pervez said.

Though the APML enjoys little support in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the people of Chitral have for long backed Musharraf, who ended nearly four years of self-exile when he returned to Pakistan on Sunday.

Several reports have suggested that Musharraf will also contest the polls from two other constituencies in Sindh and Punjab provinces.

Meanwhile, authorities have put in place special security arrangements in Islamabad for Musharraf, who received a death threat from the Taliban days before he returned to Pakistan.

Ahead of Musharraf's scheduled arrival in Islamabad Thursday, police have deployed three commandos outside his farmhouse at Chak Shahzad on the outskirts of the city.

Vigilance has been heightened and new road blocks have been set up near the private residence, officials told the media. It is believed that Musharraf will also be guarded by a small contingent of army commandoes.

Islamabad Police, the Interior Ministry and intelligence agencies are working together on arrangements for Musharraf's security.

An unnamed senior police official told the Dawn newspaper that former heads of state are entitled to protection according to "protocols outlined in the Blue Book".

Senior police officials are expected to receive Musharraf when he arrives at Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Rawalpindi, from where they will escort him to his farmhouse.

After arriving in Karachi on Sunday, Musharraf said he would travel to Islamabad on March 28. However, the date is not firm and officers responsible for Musharraf's security have not been given concrete details.

Says proud of Kargil operation

Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said he was "proud of the Kargil operation", during which Pakistani troops had crossed the Line of Control and occupied positions on the Indian side in 1999. Musharraf made the remarks when he was asked about criticism of his role in the Kargil issue at a news conference in Karachi. Musharraf was the army chief when the operation was launched.

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