APML to launch drive for Musharraf’s release
Retired military men also support the campaign, says head of a newly-launched ‘movement’.
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.
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.