Former Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday announced that he would take a break from active politics for some time and would not contest the upcoming general election for 'personal reasons.'
Aziz, who completed his term as prime minister on November 15, told a media persons in Islamabad that he will continue to serve the country and his PML-Q party, but did not give details.
The former banker said he had met President Pervez Musharraf and conveyed to him his decision to take a break from active politics for some time.
Recent reports had suggested that the ruling PML-Q was not keen on fielding Aziz in the general election due to differences between him and party chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Some reports had also said that Aziz might leave the country to take up an overseas assignment with some financial institution.
Hussain, who was present at the news conference, however, said the party had wanted to field Aziz from two constituencies -- Attock and Kashmore -- but the former prime minister turned down this suggestion.
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