The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Islamabad

Opponents of President Pervez Musharraf are wooing Islamist politicians to bolster their drive to curb the powers of the U.S.-allied leader following his party's loss in parliamentary elections. The negotiations bring together opposition forces who have promised to tackle extremism and Islamists who sympathize with the Taliban - highlighting the extent of the former military strongman's political isolation.

"We believe that the problems are so big that as far as possible we should take along all the political forces," Farhatullah Babar, the spokesman of slain leader Benazir Bhutto's party, told The Associated Press on Friday.