KARACHI: On the heels of a surprising claim by a former army spokesperson that the North Waziristan operation was delayed due to former army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's reluctance, former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani has come forward with a similar claim.
Gilani said on Friday that the reason the Pakistan Peoples Party government did not launch an operation in North Waziristan during its tenure was because then army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani insisted that the decision was his own.
Speaking to the media at a press conference in Karachi on Friday, the former premier said, "After the Swat operation, I had held meetings to state the action in North Waziristan, but the then army chief General Kayani wanted to take this decision on his own."
General Kayani told him to leave the Waziristan operation at the disposal of the army, which, he said, would itself determine the date and time for any action. “This was the reason we did not insist and asked forces to make the decision on its own,” Gilani said.
Since June 15, the military has been engaged in a major offensive against militants in North Waziristan. The move followed failed negotiations between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government and the Taliban.
On June 30, former DG ISPR Maj Gen Athar Abbas claimed that an operation in North Waziristan was delayed by three years owing to then army chief Kayani's reluctance.
“Gen Kayani thought he would be held accountable for sending troops into North Waziristan. And that is why he dilly-dallied on the operation due to which we wasted too much time and suffered losses,” he said, in an interview with BBC.
'PML-N should honour Musharraf resignation deal'
During the press conference at the PPP media cell, Gilani also claimed that the current government was violating the deal under which Pervez Musharraf tendered his resignation from the president’s office in exchange for a safe passage.
The deal, he said, was made between the PML-N, the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Establishment .
He also said that all the cases against Musharraf by the PML-N were a bad omen.
Gilani said, “It was decided to give Musharraf a safe passage without any hurdles. The PML-N leadership had also endorsed this idea.”
All those who were part of the negotiation with the Establishment on Musharraf’s departure should abide by the agreement, he added.
“Now, the PML N government has started opening new cases against Mushrraf, which I think is not good omen,” he said.
Meanwhile, the former premier also said that political forces, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, should avoid hatching conspiracies to derail the democratic dispensation.
“Let us join hands to strengthen democracy,” he said, adding that “PPP has difference with the PML-N government on a number of issues but it supports democracy and will let the government to complete its five-year term.”
PPP refutes deal talk
Refuting Gilani’s claim of any deal being struck, PPP leader Jahangir Badar claimed said that the PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had completed his homework and that the PPP was ready to impeach Musharraf.
However, before pulling the trigger, Zardari sent Musharraf a message via then Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani that the former dictator should either resign or face impeachment.
Pres. Zardari gave General Kayani choice either convince #Musharraf to resign or #PPP will impeach him & put him on trial: Jehangir Badar
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) July 11, 2014
#PPP didn't sign any deal with anyone on #musharraf issue - Jehangir badar - #Pakistan
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) July 11, 2014
All for Mushraff impeachment was ready. AAZ had completed home work. Mushraff opted to resign when Gen. Kayani passed AAz message to him.
— Jehanzeb Bader (@JehanzebBader) July 11, 2014
COMMENTS (30)
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Those who were protecting OBL in the largest army base would never go against the strategic assets. We can trash all the elected leaders of the country but the real power stays with the generals and nobody else. They are regularly promoted and their perks are never made public. All elected leaders are responsible for our plight except the generals who have ruled with an iron fist and total powers for most of our history. Yet none of them is responsible for madarsas, fanaticism gun culture, lack of power and losing wars.
So now, according to the heavy weights in PMLn, Mush is the last & the largest stone in the party's Kidney?
Lesson: Be very cautious of "Easy Meal".
Personal vendetta is the agenda here.
Pervez Musharraf is the true and honest leader.
Shame on this government.
Can the former PM or the former President explain this . What was the reason for giving the former COAS Kayani an unprecedent three years extension? Was it for the honourable services rendered or to prevent a coup?
Only the army knew it,s limitations regarding action in Wazirstan and hence had the last word . It is too early to judge Kayani! Whether he was brilliant or mediocre---the present war in North Wazirstan will tell. Meanwhile the Mr.Gilani should look at his own performance. Period.
Nawaz is well known for reneging on his commitments. He should remain thankful to Musharraf and Saudia for being let out of jail and packed off to Saudia. He disowned his own signature on non-judicial paper and implied that all are liars, including, the Saudia ambassador who waved the agreement and showed it to the press. Jehangir Badr should provide solid evidence in support of those July tweets. Tweeting on the past is a favorite of our two-bit politicians who thrive on corruption. Reneging on deals is a prominent character trait of politicians because of the weakness of our judicial system. When you have illiterate, suit and booted villagers running the roost, monocracy raises its head. Salams
Kayani was protecting OBL. Kayani was and his current counterpart is the boss of Pakistan PM and President. No doubt about it.
How come PPP didn't share this information before? How scared were they of the army?
Gilani Ji, you ought to be more worried about your Multani Peeri Muridi and the fact that one of your pick pocketing accomplices has been arrested in Saudi Arabia for embezzling the funds of Hajis.
Well the commando came to Pakistan in violation of that deal but he can be rest assured that he'd only leave when Nawaz Sharif would let him. Payback sucks don't it?
ET! Please have some respect for your profession. One threat and you changed the topic and the picture of the news item altogether? You see now how judges and lawyers give decisions & fight for their cause? I hope the guy who posted Mush-Deal news did not loose his job, if not the life itself, wow!
True story!
Moral of the story: Both Kiyani and Nawaz are neither saints, nor strong.
If Gilani's advice was not being followed, why did he not tender his resignation. That would have been a more respectable exit than his eventual fate?
@aaaaa: Very pertinent, indeed! Why can't other commentators show relevance without bias?
“This was the reason we did not insist and asked forces to make the decision on its own,” Gilani said. If it was not in the best interests of Pakistan to delay the operation, why did Gilani cave in to Kayani?
Look who is talking!!!!! His son is kidnapped, shouldn't he be worried about that rather than giving us lessons / lectures on democracy. He was sacked as a PM by court and was also a very poor, inefficient and corrupt leader.
@unbelievable: You seem to have your facts wrong. He left 7 months after his resignation. And why shouldn't return to his country considering the safe passage by the then Govt and PML N. Its unfortunate that PML has the habit of taking on key personalities i.e. Presidents Ishaque Khan and Leghari, Army chiefs Gen Asif Nawaz, Gen Kakar, Gen Karamat and last but not the least General Musharraf. The ruling family are now themselves civilian dictators.
He returned. He broke the deal. Its open season now. Period. Making deals to escape the law is what got us into this mess. Prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.
" Pervez Musharraf tendered his resignation from the president’s office in exchange for a safe passage." Even if this deal should be considered as eligible, the passage was provided and Musharraf came back to occupy the county again because of his lust and greed to power despite his 'own' strictly warned not to return.
@unbelievable,
Was you privy to the deal?
PML-N is known for breaking deals. They broke their own deal with Musharraf for 10-year exile.
PML-N can do anything for power & cheap popularity.
I scratch your back, you scratch mine. When will our political elite understand that making such deals and that also potentially treasonous, violate the constitution by itself and becomes a crime that is aiding a criminal while having knowledge of the crime committed!!!
We are tired of the PPP politics of compromise . We need this trial to go to it's logical conclusion
This is called muk makaa and parties are exposed now.
I am afraid who will disclose the deal about assassination of Benazir Bhutto in future.
I hope Gilani will able to share the signed agreement he is referring to?
Deal or No Deal, The hatred is One Way... PMLn to Mush. PMLn does that to all who she think is a challenge to its seat in election. PMLn's viciousness is proven thru Model town like incidents. At least Mush is not as innocent as those shot-dead women.
@unbelievable:
"The purpose behind the “deal” was to get him out of office and the country."
May I ask you, how do you know? Were you a part of deal?
And do you mean, if someone comes back to his own country, the government can make fake cases against him? Where does it put the notion of "independent" judiciary?
My dear unbelievable, you are really unbelievable.
Here comes the Champions of Democracy.
The purpose behind the "deal" was to get him out of office and the country. He left and was warned not to return ... he ignored that advice and even warnings from his old military buddies. Musharraf has no one to blame for his current predicament but himself. Pakistan should stop all the drama .. put the trial into gear and determine his guilt/innocence.