Qatari Day ceremony guests discuss death sentence to Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: The death sentence handed to former President and ex-Army Chief General (R) Pervez Musharraf by a special court in a high treason case a day earlier was the favourite subject of discussion by the guests in reception hosted by Qatar Ambassador Saqr bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri to commemorate the National Day of his country on Wednesday in a local bottle.

The guests were surprised that the government that came out with support in high pitch tone for General Pervez Musharraf in the evening immediate after the verdict retreated on the following day and the prime minister has stopped the ministers to issue statements about it.

It was viewed as yet another U-turn by the incumbent government. The diplomats attending the reception were more surprised about the rapid changing of position by the government and wanted to have clue about the end of this new drama. The guests also had discussion about the issue of extension for Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Few guests maintained that the government could jumble up the extension question since they have demonstrated their capacity in the initial days of the hearing of petition challenging the extension of General Qamar Bajwa. They contended that opposition parties are playing more smartly than the government as harmony lacks in the assertions made by the ministers on the question.

Some government loyalists were happy that the people are engaged in discussing the “administrative” issues and they have forgotten the real issues with regard to dearness and price hike. The government is quietly enhancing gas and electric tariffs. Overall price increase has already surpassed souring range. Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing was conspicuous with his presence in the reception as he rarely appears in such diplomatic events.

He was talking of scope of improvement in ties between Pakistan and his country. Ambassador Yao reminded that the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) has reached to dangerous proportion that could cause serious threat to the peace of the region. He said that Islamabad and Beijing are actively consulting each other on various subjects, including developments in IOK.

Iran’s ambassador designate Syed Muhammad Ali Hussaini made his maiden appearance in diplomatic gatherings while Turkey ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul was of the view like his President that Prime Minister Pakistan should have gone to attend the KL summit. The guests regretted that the prime minister budged to the foreign pressure and opted to stay away from an important summit being held in KL which was initially sponsored by Pakistan.

Special Secretary Foreign Affairs Muazzam Ahmad Khan was also present with his spouse Ambassador Leena Ahmad Khan. Leena, who had served as country’s envoy in important capitals, was grudging that while Pakistan’s anthem is played, very few people sing it while in other countries people recite it with loud voice.