“I have never taken a loan in my entire life. I did not violate any law. I paid all my bills and taxes," says Musharraf. PHOTO: AFP
Former president Pervez Musharraf has said the Supreme Court’s order declaring his November 3, 2007, actions unconstitutional is illegal since it was passed without any trial.
Appearing at the Express News programme To The Point, he said Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s nullification of former chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar’s validation of the 2007 state of emergency was unacceptable as well.
Talking about the high treason petitions being heard by the SC, Musharraf reiterated his stance that the court cannot take up this case. “It is the responsibility of the government,” he maintained. The former president, however, said he would not shy away from any trial.
“I shall face the proceedings in the SC and wait to see how it goes. I knew that I would be tried in the courts. I will fight these cases legally.”
Talking about his disqualification by election tribunals, Musharraf said he was disappointed by the decision. He maintained there was no justification for his disqualification.
“I have never taken a loan in my entire life. I did not violate any law. I paid all my bills and taxes. No one can be held responsible without a trial.”
Musharraf maintained he returned to Pakistan to give the country a third force in politics.
“Imran Khan should understand this… Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will not be able to get a simple majority in the upcoming polls on its own… If Imran does not understand this, the status-quo will continue,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, talking about his party, the All Pakistan Muslim League’s (APML) election campaign, Musharraf said 110 tickets for National Assembly seats and around 200 tickets for the provincial assembly seats had been issued. He claimed several of the candidates had strong chances of winning the seats in the upcoming polls.
The former president did admit that his party had faced several handicaps upon his return. “I expected I would have to face the Benazir and Bugti cases, but here I have been disqualified from four different constituencies,” he noted. He also held up security threats as a hindrance to his plans.
“I had been banking on using my personality to curry some favour from APML candidates… But I cannot move around freely [due to threats] and that has affected my party badly,” he maintained. He strongly condemned the attacks on Awami National Party leaders as well.
Musharraf denied any deal brokered by the Saudi royal family paved the way for his return.
The former president also claimed people in Pakistan were concerned less about democracy and more about amenities such as water, power and gas, and low prices. He maintained the only two good periods for Pakistan’s democracies were under military rule – under Field Marshal Ayub Khan the first time and under his own rule the second time.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2013.
COMMENTS (13)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Dr. Khan once said that God willing, one day, Musharraf will be standing on the street with not a shred of cloth to cover his shame (or torn clothes) ......... something on those lines.
@karma:
Gen m takeover was validated by the very sitting judges including Choudhry sb....they all hv to face same fate InshaAllah Allah very soon but unfortunately nobody has petitioned it.....
PML N Nawaz sb n his party into the SC during its rule when the judges called for Army help...
Nawaz Sb n others are accused in Asgher khan case n yet he is qualified to stand fr election...
What a country ? The whole country is in a state of Complete confusión.....delibrately.....
The present judges have made superme court an object of mockery. They are acting like primary school boys. Supereme court used to be a sacred institution respected by everyone. No more, it has turnned into a joke.
I am with Musharraf. His takeover was validated by SC and parliament. Once he was validated then he can take a decision whatever for the benefit of the country. That's what he did in 2007 for the betterment of the country and according to the political atmosphere of the country. Its mind bogling to watch Iftekhar Chowdhry's vendetta by inciting first against Gen. Musharraf and now what he is doing towards him. I request the judiciary to give justice fairly. People look up to the judiciary so be fair.
Judiciary seems being biased in Musharraf case. If judiciary believes that he did wrong with people of Pakistan and the country at the time he was in power, should trial him fairly. Now the judiciary, which is in its full power, seems doing same thing what Musharraf did in past. Judiciary should play its role in unbiased way.
@karma:
you cannot say like that. As the Supreme Court allowed the first marshal law....
Please follow the law and dont make your own....
The same anarchy was prevalent in 2007 and the judges have been doing the same afterwards till today. They have sent our country in dark ages again.
This is so unfair.
I am with Musharraf here. Pakistan needs to change and that change cannot be brought about by a single person. There's got to be unity among Pakistan's well wishers. Here, everyone seems to be power hungry and the supreme court is also biased (power hungry in its own way) trying to invalidate its own verdict. Pakistan does not need to recognize Iftikhar Chaudhry as a person, the position of Chief Justice is all that should carry weight.
Its sad how people are not allowed to exercise their right to choose their leader of choice by disallowing someeone like Musharraf to contest elections on the basis of unproven accusations.
Not a single contestant can be regarded as ameen, there is no honest politician here because politics and honesty do not go together.
A trial is needed only if facts of the case are to be established beyond reasonable doubt.
In this matter, facts of the case is clear. A military general, broke the law & constitution, sacked an elected govt. against the prescribed procedure of constitution, then went on to suspend constitution itself.
Why does one need a trial to establish, already known facts? Would Musharaff ask for a trial to prove Sun rises up on east as well?
Absolutely true.
It is very true Pakistan was much better during his time, unfortunately our people are very simple and plain. They don't understand these politicians, God help Pakistan.