Why did the lion not stop Musharraf from escaping, asks Khursheed

Admits PPP was weak on Musharraf issue

Says Musharraf was given guard of honour by his institution

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah said on Monday that the guard of honour to General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was given by his institution while the government of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had nothing to do with such an exercise.

He said this on a point of order while responding to the views expressed by Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan during a joint session of parliament here on Monday.

Khursheed also sharply reacted to the statements of ministers that Musharraf had left the country four times during the PPP government’s tenure. “We were weak and neither did we make any claims nor did we establish special courts to try Pervez Musharraf. But you are the lions, then how did Pervez Musharraf who ambushed the Constitution slip away from you?” he asked.

The opposition leader said at least the government should have brought the issue of the removal of Pervez Musharraf’s name from the ECL to the joint sitting of parliament. “I am not sure that 95 percent of the parliamentarians may be aware of the fact that Musharraf would be leaving the country,” he said.

The veteran politician said not only Pervez Musharraf but others, including the-then judiciary which strengthened the dictator’s rule, should also have been tried under the Article 6 of the Constitution. “The assemblies and governments come and go but the Constitution should be kept supreme. The government allowed Musharraf to leave the country at a time when he was being tried under the Article 6,” he said.

Earlier, Ch Nisar said during the five-year tenure of the PPP government, the-then opposition extended the fullest possible cooperation to the government for taking action against General (retd) Pervez Musharraf but the government remained silent. The minister also reminded the PPP that it entered the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) with General (retd) Pervez Musharraf and gave him safe passage.

He claimed the rule of law was taking roots in the country as Musharraf’s name remained on the ECL for over two years and he had to face the treason charge. He urged the political parties to strengthen the government’s hands for ensuring the rule of law in the country.

He said the name of Pervez Musharraf was also involved in the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto as per the FIR of the case but the PPP government had miserably failed to take action against him. “Why the PPP government maintained criminal silence when the name of Pervez Musharraf was also mentioned in the FIR,” he said.

Referring to the cases being faced by the former dictator in Pakistan, Ch Nisar said except for Pervez Musharraf, no other dictator had experienced such difficulties.He also criticised the PPP leadership for its way of politics saying it had stabbed the rest of the opposition parties in the back when they had resigned from the assemblies towards the end of the year 2007. “The PPP stabbed the opposition parties in the back and continued to sit in assemblies for the remaining tenure,” he said.