PA denounces Musharraf’s coup, calls for his arrest

Punjab Assembly passes a resolution against Musharraf for “breaching the constitution and imposing a...

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly (PA), yesterday, unanimously passed a resolution against former president Pervez Musharraf for “breaching the constitution and imposing a dictatorship.”

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah presented the resolution after the PA Rules of Business were suspended for the purpose with the approval of the house.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam (PML-Q) member Seemal Kamran raised an early objection to the resolution but did not oppose it when the vote was called and the resolution passed unanimously.

The resolution read, “This session of Punjab Assembly declares uprooting democracy and the beginning of dictatorship on October 12, 1999 as the worst incident in Pakistan’s history. This house demands that the Federal government should immediately bring dictator Pervez Musharraf back through Interpol and try him for breaching law and committing treachery because this dictator committed serious crimes against the constitution, state and public in the past. And is now causing irreparable loss to the country’s interest by issuing statements against the interests of national security of Pakistan.”

Opposition leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said that the names of other dictators should also have been mentioned in the resolution. He said that the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was a black law.

Chief Minister’s Senior Advisor Sirdar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa said that although all dictators were bad, none of them had sacked 60 judges, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan, with a single stroke of the pen.

He said that the PML-Q had benefited from Musharraf and had not dared raise its voice against the dictator. He challenged Musharraf to contest election from any constituency of the Punjab against an ordinary Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member. He said that Musharraf was free to exercise his right of citizenship and that the Punjab government would not arrest or deport him if he landed in Punjab.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif left the house after listening to a few speeches.

After the suspension of the Rules of Business, the day was reserved for speeches in connection with October 12.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2010.