KARACHI: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf will be contesting in the coming general election from three National Assembly seats of Karachi, Chitral and Kasur, a close aide of Musharraf told Dawn.com on Tuesday.

The decision was taken after a Parliamentary board meeting of the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) leaders at a local hotel in Karachi.

The former military strongman is expected to make a formal announcement in this regard at a press conference on Wednesday.

Musharraf also addressed a meeting of ticket hopefuls at the hotel this afternoon. He called on them to garner support for him to get him elected.

“I returned to Pakistan for the sake of my country. I am trying to persuade the people to vote for me,” he told the gathering of around 50 people.

APML spokeswoman Aasia Ishaque said the party’s parliamentary board would include Ghulam Mustafa Khaskheli (Sindh), Chaudhry Ashraf (Punjab), Sher Alam Khan (KP), Hashim Khan (Balochistan) and Chaudhry Shafique in Islamabad. Dr Amjad would be the party’s chief coordinator.

The former president, who failed to get the welcome he desired upon his return from self-imposed exile, would initiate meetings with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) from today, party sources told Dawn.com.

Musharraf also had a meeting with Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad later in the day.