The walls of the National Assembly on Wednesday echoed with criticism from the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) of former military dictator General (retd.) Parvez Musharraf.
The party demanded that the government register a case under Article 6 (High Treason) against Musharraf for abrogating the constitution and dislodging the democratically elected government on October 12, 1999.
However, the PML-N faced embarrassment when Nadeem Afzal Gondal of the Pakistan Peoples Party reminded the party that they had taken oaths as ministers from Musharraf. “You should have refused to take oath,” he said. “Why did you forgive the judiciary which had allowed Musharraf to amend the Constitution? Today we have the same judiciary,” Gondal added.
Khawaja Saad Rafiq from the PML-N admitted that the party had made an error of judgment in promoting Musharraf as Chief of Army Staff (COAS). “It was our mistake to promote a wicked person for the slot of COAS but we have learnt our lesson,” he said. He added that four military interventions had caused irreparable damage to the country and that in order to bring an end to this trend once and for all “Musharraf should be put behind bars.”
Rafiq also took a swipe at parliament, dismissing it as a debating club with no real power to make decisions. “If Musharraf is not tried under high treason, no criminal should be given the punishment,” he added.
Capt.(retd.) Muhammad Safdar, the son-in-law of PML-N president Nawaz Sharif, grilled the government and the judiciary while also demanding the government lodge a high treason case against Musharraf.
Safdar expressed hopelessness over the incumbent judiciary. “Why is Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry silent over the killings on May 12, 2007 in Karachi?” he asked. “I do not expect justice from the Chief Justice if he does not deliver justice in that case.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2011.
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@Abid Mohiuddin: Pakistanis bombed extra-judicially with drones. Pakistanis moved extra-judicially to rendition camps if they are lucky. Aunty Shamim honor was restored and her honest business resumed. SSG became Shamim Savers Group. Citibank employee expanded credit and then contracted it domestically. Internationally we were put more into debt. More bombing continued on Pakistanis using foreign backed TTP, Al Qaeda, LeJ etc. Corrupt politicians were installed who are more subservient to US and UK policies than Pakistan. Unaccountable and dubious media companies started subversion campaigns against Pakistan.
@Asim:
I will answer : Lal Masjid fiasco (terrorism) : I am glad he did that otehrwise there would have been 100 lal masjid today !!!
NRO (bringing the corrupt back): Agree this was bad .But when NRO zadah Zardari became president Nawaz Sharif remarked : " He is our president " What a hippocracy ?
PCO (attack on judiciary) : CJ himseld is a PCO : Musharraf did not sotne Judiciary which nawaz did .He still did it with dicsussions with then Corps Commander vice COAS etc
Disgracing the bureaucracy/civil set-up by inducting generals/brigaders (ex and present) in key civilian post and no accountability for their actions. : He did theright thing as bureaucracy/civil set-up is the most corrupt in Pakistan
Alienating Balochis (Akbar Bugti killing and army action): Fake allegation No body should challende the writ of government and he has announced he will do that again if he comes to power
Bank of Punjab case (Harris Steel and Hamesh Khan): Unsure but if true be discussed in parlaimnet and brought to Judiciary
Pakistan Steel Mill sell-off ; Steel mill was aproductive still today no boydy will buy it .May be the CJ will !!
@Haqqani: The list is too long for you see
@Realist
Because we are realist :)
WHAT A NATIONAL Shame people support a Military dictator.
@Fasih Khan Very well said. Musharraf is Pakistan's hero. Currently he is not in government, still defending Pakistan at every forum. A true leader.
There is no use crying over spilt milk.Nawaz Sharif also committed the same crime by abetting with ZiaulHaq.Nawaz has double standards,Why he should not be tried against article 6 of the constitution.One would like to know how many COAS he wanted to sack.He had tiff with Asif Janjua,Waeed Kakar,Jahangir Kramat,two presidents & a Chief Justice.What aaaaaaaa prime minister.
P M L (N ) is free to bring up the case against Muharaf Let us wait and see when they start the proceedings. After all ADLIA IS FREE@Mohammad Awais Pakistan is not for constitution, rather constitution is for Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif was destroying every institution in Pakistan. He looted country and smuggled all money from Pakistan. His brother has burned provincial resources in tandoors through sasti roti scehme and now is wasting in taxies. Do they have any vision? They do not want to hold LB elections, because they just want to rule through Gora Rag.
We Want Pervez Musharraf back.. Pakistan First
How demand for treason case against Musharraf could be politics of revenge? A man, who toppled an elected government, should be punished. The man who trampled constitutions, dismissed judges, and imposed restrictions on media, cannot be spared at any cost. Any person, whether friend or foe of Musharraf, making such demand should be given respect and the people should join him.
Why PML-N don't file a plea in SC so Musharraf cab trialed under Article 6?
Haqqani I Can take your challenge to prove that Musharraf was a blessing for Pakistan. But to Acknowledge that you have to be honest to yourself ... Below is a startup VDO ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZRsr_f2Yzw
I look forward to see Musharraf ruling the country again. In Musharraf era we were going forward, propsering and had a hope to live with pride. But with such politicians as of NS we do not have any hope for the country. He plunged Pakistan by looted Pakistan from 1985 to 1999 and smuggling that money out of the country. Sugar used to be available at Rs. 24/kg has gone beyond reach of common man because NS owns most of the susgar mills. This is another way to loot.
Let me list a few that i remember:
Lal Masjid fiasco (terrorism) NRO (bringing the corrupt back) PCO (attack on judiciary) Disgracing the bureaucracy/civil set-up by inducting generals/brigaders (ex and present) in key civilian post and no accountability for their actions. Alienating Balochis (Akbar Bugti killing and army action) Bank of Punjab case (Harris Steel and Hamesh Khan) Pakistan Steel Mill sell-offEvery dictator of pakistan was a menace due to which the country is inn complete chaos today. Hang them to death is the only way out of this. So no one else gets the ambition of taking peoples rights away from them. Democracy is and will be the only system that will work for pakistan.
So what are you doing to protect Pakistan from daily carnage?
the saver of this country is always removed from the picture, this is the sad story of this country. go back to history, Zulfiqar Bhutto, Benazeer Bhutto, and this list is a never ending list and now it would be Musharaf. being a citizen of this country i pitty on the country. only God could help us through our problems.
love Pakistan, build Pakistan....hatred politics should be end.
AJ: can you please list those good things happened to Pakistan during his regime?
Keep shouting but Musharraf is coming back and the sad thing is you can't do any thing because he was a past general and the chief of army staff of the Pakistan Army (the only institution that really works in Pakistan). Why against him when he is competent ruler and he did a lot of good things during his regime.
Revenge first, Pakistan second.