Former president Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: FILE
In a scene right out of Shakespeare’s tragedy of Julius Caesar, top Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Ejazul Haq on Monday signalled their willingness to testify against their former boss General (r) Pervez Musharraf.
As one-time close collaborators of the former president, their decision would be seen as an act of betrayal. And if and when their paths cross in the courtroom, the general would have his “Et tu Brute” (Even you, Brutus) moment.
Both Shujaat and Ejaz have promised Ghazi’s son Haroonur Rashid and the Shohda Foundation of Pakistan (SFP) that they were ready to record their statements against Musharraf with the police and the court, according to sources.
The former president is facing murder charges for allegedly ordering the murder of deputy cleric Abdur Rashid Ghazi and hundreds others in the Lal Masjid operation
“There were other witnesses as well, but these two leaders were key eyewitnesses as they were part of the government at the time of the operation,” a senior official of the SFP told The Express Tribune. Both men have offered “verbal assurances” that they would testify.
Meanwhile, the former president has denied all allegations levelled against him in statement recorded by the Islamabad police on Monday. Musharraf has also stated that he was the president, and the operation was carried out on the orders of the federal government, adding that there was no written evidence that linked him to the case.
Rashid was however about to nominate ministers serving in the government during that time, as co-accused in the murder case, along with the then prime minister Shaukat Aziz, Aftab Sherpao and Tariq Azeem, among others.
However, the police did not seem to be in a mood to take any statements against the former president as they dodged the complainant when he reached the police station with his counsel.
Station House Officer (SHO) Qasim Niazi left the police station while the complainant waited outside to record his statement. Hafiz Ihtisham, spokesperson for Rashid and the SFP, alleged that ASP Yasir Afridi ‘detained’ the complainant and his counsel when they tried to approach him for recording the statement.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2013.
COMMENTS (16)
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What respect do these two shining examples have, or the judiciary, or a large segment of the media? You can tell from the comments on any forum about Musharraf that they cannot fool people no matter how much they try to malign him. Musharraf's respect in the eyes of the nation grows every day. He led the country with honesty, honor, sincerety, and good governance - none of which have been seen since.
Not surprised at all. Had they stayed honest and loyal to a good and upright man like President Musharraf, they would be doing something opposite of our heritage of betrayals and deceptions. Our History is full of the tales of betrayals, treasons, disloyalty and such small men can not be expected to change our tradition and do anything contrary. President Musharraf is simply experiencing what many great leaders like him experienced in the past and I'm sure he is not one bit disappointed or surprised for wise as he is, he must be prepared to face such characterless people as these two are bent upon proving. May Allah be with President Musharraf and may He protect him from all his enemies, all the open and hidden enemies.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man." - Mark Twain Fits perfect for these two 'gentlemen'. Insha Allah, Musharraf will be exonerated of all these charges and walk away from this filth head held high. And then he should fly away to some civilized part of the world, play golf and enjoy time with his grandchildren - and give a damn to what our self-serving politicians are doing to this country. We never deserved a leader of his calibre.
Ejajul Haq is the true successor of his father, if he testifies against Mushraff and betrays him, there is nothing to astonish, after all his father who was elevated to the post of COAS by Bhutto ignoring six seniors, not only betrayed his benefector but murdered him in connivance with then judiciary. Ejaj will be keeping up the legacy of his 'gréat' father. Rest assure the testificatiion of these pigmies is not going to harm mushraff as his institution is powerful enough to save him as it saved all the retired generals like durrani, beg, hameed gul and the generals involved in NLC and Railway Land scam.
Almost like making promises to the mafia boss's kids. Irony is that Ejaz-ul-Haq was the one sent as negotiator by the Mush-led govt to reason with the Laal Masjid clerics/militants, as religious minister, based on his father's past state/military proxy relationship but failed to get anywhere for months till the operation. After seeing him stand with other right-wing religious extremists and militants at DPC, it really shouldn't be surprising.
Mush certainly chose his allies poorly and clearly wasn't serious enough against the spread of extremism even among the elites (as seen with his conspiracy comment on the Daniel Pearl killer being an MI-6 agent, but was in actuality a super patriot ISI asset handled by one of his own military colleagues).
Ayub, Bhutto and Musharraf are the three leaders who have a positive portfolio of achievements and governance.
What a pity - this trial is a farce ! Will the public take it lying ?
these 2 Ghazi were clerk in federal govt..it was Zia-ul-HAq who made them kateeb of lal masjid..
Shohda foundation? is that a rip off of the Shaheed Foundation?
Lal masjid clerics took up arms against the state. They deserved more than the punishment that they got. One can only look at this state of affairs and wonder how it has come to be that terrorist outfits are being facilitated by the courts while the people who defended the country are being punished.
Well I would only say this, may Allah help You Musharraf, whatever you did , you did it in the best interest of Pakistan, Jiye Musharraf always !
Amazingly Musharraf needs some testifiers against him.Have the nation forget his era??
This nation is a disgrace. Good are punished while the bad roam free.. I'm ashamed