ADD THE FOLLOWING NEWS AND SEE WHEN MUSHARAF MEETS ALTAF BHAII.
**Musharraf meets leaders amid political turmoil
**Karachi, 27 Feb. (AKI) - By Syed Saleem Shahzad - Pakistan is still reeling from this week's controversial Supreme Court decision that effectively sidelined opposition leader and former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, and his brother, Shabaz, from contesting elections and holding office.
With the largest province, Punjab, in a state of political turmoil, Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf emerged from retirement to hold high profile meetings with senior politicians, fuelling speculation about his political role.
On Friday Musharraf met former interim prime minister and president of the National Peoples Party, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, in the southern port city of Karachi. Jatoi was Musharraf's ally and the party is still part of the coalition government in Sindh province.
Musharraf also met Sindhi sub-nationalist politician and former Sindh chief minister Mumtaz Bhutto, uncle of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Mumtaz Bhutto was detained by the present government after his critisim of president Asif Ali Zardari and he was also active in opposition when Musharraf was in office.
Late on Friday, Musharraf dined at the home of yet another senior politician and political ally, Jam Karam Ali.
Pakistani prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on Thursday said democracy had been weakened by the Supreme Court's decision to ban Sharif and his brother, Shabaz, from contesting elections.
However, as demonstrations took place in several cities across the country, Gillani urged people to accept the court's decision.
The court decision prevents Nawaz Sharif, who heads the largest opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, from challenging Zardari in general elections in 2013 and removes Shahbaz Sharif as head of the provincial government in the country's most populous region, Punjab.
Musharraf's re-emergence this week coincided with the extraordinary political turmoil and nationwide protests that appeared to be getting out of control.
In Karachi earlier this week, Musharraf met senior Pakistani politician, the president of Pakistan Muslim League (Functional group) and the country's most influential spiritual personality, Syed Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagaro II. He was a staunch Musharraf ally and his party is still part of the coalition government.
It was the first time since Musharaf, a former chief of army staff, had become politically active since he stepped down from power last August.
Despite his retirement, Musharraf still lives in Army House in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, an official residence for the chief of army staff.
On Friday despite the installation of the governor's rule in Punjab, PML-N members of the provincial assembly led by deposed chief minister Shahbaz Sharif held a meeting, outside the assembly which was locked and guarded by paramilitary police.
Demonstrators clashed with police and demonstrators throughout the day.
Two days ago, the memorial to assassinated opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto was set on fire in Rawalpindi, and protesters tried to attack Sheikh Rasheed, a former federal minister from the Musharraf era.
On Friday, Pakistan Peoples Party supporters attacked the vehicle of rival Pakistan Muslim League chairman Raja Zafarul Haq in Rawalpindi and in retaliation, rival PML workers attacked the motorcade of PPP leader and defence minister Chaudhary Ahmad Mukhtar.
Lawyers belonging to the PML-N were forced to halt court proceedings and close the courts.
The political turmoil is likely to worsen next month as lawyers have announced plans for a long march and sit-in in the national capital Islamabad.