National interest: ‘Musharraf must stay to defend himself’

“All are equal before the law and whoever is found guilty must be punished for his crime,” says JI Chief.

LAHORE:

Former president Pervez Musharraf should refuse to go abroad for treatment so that he can defend himself against the treason charge against him, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Syed Munawar Hasan told a press conference at Mansoora on Friday.

Hasan said certain political forces wanted to save the former military dictator from punishment. He said if Musharraf went abroad at this stage the people would believe that the former dictator had been allowed to flee the country. “All are equal before the law and whoever is found guilty must be punished for his crime,” said Hasan.

He also expressed reservations against a statement by Jalil Abbas Jilani, Pakistan’s new envoy to the US, saying that a complete US pull out from Afghanistan was not desirable. Hasan said envoys to the US had been known to abandon national interest and serve Washington’s interests instead.

He said Jilani’s statement went against diplomatic norms.

“Terrorism in the region has increased a hundred fold after the Americans came to meddle in the region,” said Hasan. “Pakistan can never escape from this mire as long as the US is here.”

The JI chief said the prime minister had told Maulana Samiul Haq to initiate talks with the Taliban. However, Hasan said, the Maulana should take the nation into confidence about his mandate and the government priorities. He said talks with the Taliban should be transparent.

Hasan welcomed the European Union president’s statement regarding the Kashmir issue and said that it had exposed India’s brutalities and repression on the helpless Kashmiris.

He said the statement had also underscored the need for the right of self determination for the Kashmiris.

Hasan said it was the duty of the rulers to solve their peoples’ problems, protect their lives, properties and honour, but “our government has done nothing in this regard”.

He said the Senate standing committee had also expressed concerns over the privatisation of major national institutions including the PIA, but the government was determined to continue with that just to secure more IMF loans.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2014.