If Musharraf has any courage of conviction, he should squarely face all the charges against him.
RAWALPINDI: It is rather ironic that most of the officers who have been closely associated with General Pervez Musharraf in all of his unconstitutional acts, have now all of a sudden decided to become champions of democracy. They have formed a group by the name of ‘Pakistan First’ and are demanding that the former president be allowed to return to Pakistan.
His parting gift of the National Reconciliation Ordinance has taken the country to the brink of disaster. Is it for these ‘services’ rendered to the country that he wants to come back and rule over the national debris.
It is also amusing that while in the luxurious environs of Islamabad Club, these retired officers, who continued to enjoy the largesse of Musharraf even after shedding their uniforms, should think of support from over 2.5 million ex-servicemen toiling for their survival. There is no doubt that ex-servicemen vehemently condemn the malicious anti-army/ISI campaign being launched by certain quarters, but they have no love lost for the man who led the nation to its current quagmire.
General Musharraf remained glued to his uniform till he was forced out of it under public pressure. He is now trying to pose himself as an awami leader. If he has any courage of conviction, he should squarely face all the charges against him.
The champions of democracy should learn and start from the basic law, i.e. the Constitution. They must support the recent Senate resolution on Musharraf’s trial for violation of Article 6 of the Constitution. However, it is understandable that some of these former servicemen wouldn’t want to advocate this, lest they themselves land in the dock on this charge.
Brig (retd) Syed Masudul Hassan
General Secretary
Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Association
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2012.
