Supporters demand end to accountability of Musharraf

LONDON: Supporters of the former military ruler Pervez Musharraf have called for an end to the alleged “witch-hunt” against their leader who is facing a number of cases against him in Pakistani courts.
All Pakistan Muslim League (APML-UK) organised a protest outside Pakistan High Commission (PHC) here on Friday to show solidarity with Pervez Musharraf and demand an end to all cases against him.
The protest was led by Afzaal Siddiqui, General Secretary APML-UK & EU, Asif Shahzad, Altaf Shahid and others who attended the protest from different parts of the UK. The protestors, who numbered around a
100, stood outside PHC for about two hours and chanted slogans against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. They said it was shocking that “Pakistan’s most patriotic leader today is being accused of having committed treason”.
They said that Musharraf had fought for Pakistan throughout his life and under him Pakistan became a proud country internationally. They said that the quality of life under Musharraf had improved and Pakistan witnessed “unprecedented media freedom, freedom of expression and democracy through the local government system”.
The protestors said that it was outrageous that Musharraf had been accused of having committed “treason”.Afzaal Siddiqui said that Musharraf had imposed the much needed Emergency Rule in 2007, as a result of which a few sections of the Constitution were temporarily suspended, but that by no stretch of the imagination is akin to “treason”. He said that the Constitution (Article 232) permits the President to impose Emergency Rule in certain situations.
Asif Shahzad said that some so-called community leaders had raised tens of thousands of Pounds from the community, promising to bring cases against Musharraf in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) but had gone quiet. He said there was never any substance in such promises but now its clear that these people were interested in promoting their own interests by “bashing” Musharraf. The protestors said that if Nawaz Sharif government pressed with the treason case against Musharraf then a Europe-wide movement will be launched.