APML to launch drive for Musharraf’s release

Retired military men also support the campaign, says head of a newly-launched ‘movement’.


Zahid Gishkori May 16, 2013
Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:


Former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has decided to launch a ‘peoples’ movement in order to clear his name and stay politically relevant as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz comes to power next week.


The movement called Tehreek-e-Muhibban-e-Pervez Musharraf (TMPM) will fight against political victimisation of Musharraf and his supporters, and will make efforts to get the former army chief released from ‘jail’.

All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) leaders told The Express Tribune on Wednesday that the decision was taken last week when party chief Musharraf boycotted the May 11 polls.

“We launched TMPM to have our leader quickly released from jail,” said Shakil Qureshi, central president of this movement. The peaceful endeavour is to get Musharraf’s name cleared from all the politically motivated cases being heard against him in courts of the country, he added.

Around 480 APML ticket holders will run this peaceful ‘people’ movement, and some retired senior military men also support the campaign, said Qureshi.

He claimed that Musharraf will be released by May 28.  He also said that General Musharraf will stay in Pakistan after getting released from the ‘sub-jail’—his farmhouse in Islamabad.

APML leaders were to meet Wednesday night to discuss future approach after their meeting with Musharraf, he added.

‘TMPM a message to PML-N’

Political observers also believe that the purpose of such a movement at this time is to send out a message to the newly elected government of PML-N not to drag on Musharraf’s cases.  By launching such movement, senior political analyst Raza Rumi said that Musharraf is trying to stay politically relevant in a situation where all the odds are being stacked against him. “This (TMPM) is yet another attempt to ensure that there are some laws for Musharraf also in a country where his arch rival—Nawaz Sharif is to rule as prime minister.”

Rumi was of the view that the greatest dilemma PML-N faces for its incoming government is whether to prosecute Musharraf.  “If PML-N goes ahead with Musharraf’s trial it runs the risk of enraging Pakistan’s powerful military establishment. If not, then it loses the moral high ground it has maintained for a decade,” he told The Express Tribune.

A middle path may be followed for an amicable civil military relation, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2013.

COMMENTS (29)

M.Z awan | 11 years ago | Reply

its true that in mushraf time we r batr he is grt man but in his pwr time he 4get many thng and tke wrng dszns bcz of his slf nd he 4get digniti of pak brv man no dout i love him but i heat his som policies any way we r confused nation that y mushraf is sufrng i give him 100 marks but i also know very soon he will b in dubai or in uk again NRO is cming any way best of luck sir

amir hussain | 11 years ago | Reply

musharraf is great leader v love pervez musharraf .pakistan fast.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ