PHOTO: ZAHOORUL HAQ/EXPRESS
On March 31, the Special Court had indicted Musharraf on five counts for abrogating the law of the country. During the hearing, the former military chief had said that whatever he did, he did for the country and its people. “I am sad that I am being called a traitor.”
Speaking to the media, Rafique said Musharraf was wrongly dragging the army into this matter and that he should face the consequences of his past actions.
"There is no doubt that he is a traitor; he is Pakistan's worst offender," Rafique said.
On government pondering over whether or not to allow the former military ruler to travel abroad to seek medical treatment and see his ailing mother, the minister questioned if Musharraf will return to contest the charges against him.
Rafique also said that if Musharraf was allowed to leave the country, it will give a wrong impression that there is separate law for the powerful and the weak.
COMMENTS (77)
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@salim: Remember how the leaders of Muslim League were tortured by Musharraf without any fault of them.I like Musharraf as he is liberal and moderate. His military operations in IIslamabad and Balochistan were justified. But he should not have violated the constitution.He is a good soldier but his role as a usurper of power cannot be condoned.
Every time a politician has been hanged and put on exile. This is the punishment time for a military dictator. If the history of 12th October is revised this time, then everybody in this country including TTP (although their agenda is different) will be against army, unfortunately.
@Arif: mr. Arif what he has done....plz check ur literacy rfate, poverty rate, health facilities and most of all defence...drone attacks, poor, illetrate and weak nation.....what a work he has done oh yes one more thing load shedding.....is ur area free from this?
@bash gul: mind ur language
@Patriotic Pakistani: means?
@Taseer Siddiqui: after so much development musharraf does not rely on Pakistan best hospital.......what a development very nice
wow, i love this personality who is still in and refuse to leave, step forward Musharraf we r with u.
in fact we are seriously lacking the true leader whatsoever from politician or Dictator,
like other pakistani citizen Khawaja Saad Rafique has right to express his opinion. P Musharaf is ex army person and now he is only civilian and running political party as well.. Khawaja critisim was against Musharaf alone and every thing he said were facts not allegation then why highly professional army chief is becoming partyI believethis is some sort of mis-communication and clarification statement from Army will come soon. Otherwise it will give impressions that even Ex Army Person is above the Land Law And above constitution. May god bless our country and give us courage to tolerate each other and show us right path.
@Kaleem: Wrong!
There is a big difference in serving Pakistan while in uniform from other civil jobs. Your father was not serving in hard stations with no contact with his family for up to a year and repeating that successively over the first 20 or so years of his service. Your father was not being moved around so much and posted all over Pakistan which disrupted your education and all else that goes with the military families.
Ask those of us who have had these experiences while serving Pakistan in uniform. The life of the military looks really privileged on the outside to civilians, but on the inside, its constant stress of managing your professional and personal/family affairs so you are pretty much on the move every few years. The personal risk to your life during service is also unlike any other in the government except for law enforcement.
So those who serve Pakistan in uniform do deserve a bit more recognition than what you discount by claiming "everyone gives his life to Pakistan." No everyone does not. In the military, its a calling that you answer and you put your Country above yourself and your family. This is unlike any other calling. You should recognize this, because its not about being special, rather its about the nature of the calling that you answer to.
Musharraf does not have a flat in Burj Khalifa. Is there any solid proof that he has purchased one and if so it was through ill-gotten means? Get the facts right instead of lobbing accusations which essentially qualify to be unIslamic as you do so without proof. Musharraf is not poor, he has made millions due to his lecture circuit and also due to the fact that he was the CoAS of the Pakistan Army. However his money has been earned the "halaal" way. Jang newspaper is the mouthpiece of the right wing. Anyone they dislike, that person gets branded a corrupt unbeliever! Nothing but hypocrisy comes forth from that self-righteous newspaper and its editorial board.
Saad Rafeeq is a court jester and some one who waits on Nawaz to do his petty errands otherwise he has no standing. He is used to hurl abuses and thoughtlessly and if I may say shamelessly he does that. He is not qualified to even comment on former President.
Introducing "emergency" is not treason. The Chief Justice coz of his judicial activism had made governance impossible. The Prime Minister recommended it and as head of the state he just approved it. Calling it "sangeen ghaddari" is just vendetta and corruption of the highest order. Media is already purchased by Nawaz Sharif.
The performance after departure of Musharraf has been so bad of all governments now Musharraf seems so good. He should be released from EC; unconditionally.
Musharraf has given this country progress and International respect. Its shameful that he who should have been considered as an asset to this country is being treated in this way. He is an honest person who has not a single charge of corruption. Whereas, all the rest cases are politically motivated. Criminals are pointing their fingers to the true patriot.
Unlike the sharif's with tainted innocent moves the Khawajas' ???.... too, equally share the right for freedom of speech till the tenure of rule of a characterless party. The rulers of today should keep in mind that it is the 'Nature' which controls the climate & environmental conditions the humans have the right to predict only. Similarly, the Nature also has the control over the arising situations and happenings. ( The current rulers cannot deny having already suffered twicestrong text the past )
look who's talking.....!
PML N nurtured in the lap of the most brutal dictator Zia ul Haq, which not only changed the constitution several times but also hanged a democratically elected prime minister who handpicked him before. This is all hypocrisy from saad and his party members the main thing is to avenge the humiliation of Nawaz, and the judges are following what he has to say to him, i am still confident Musharraf will be free, but they want to see him in jail, more humiliation and then in the end set him free, thats the deal.
@Hammurabi:
Is constitution bigger or the country? You are just as blinded as the biased idiots on TV & their stupid notions & logics in favor of current form democracy in Pakistan & constitution. You ask about the PM's right appointing COAS, does he have to right to divert an airplane running low on fuel or attacking the SC?
I would have agreed with you if Musharraf had thrown out the government of uncorrupt & politician with integrity, but he over threw a PM who was not only corrupt but also incompetent & CJP who was the same.
So think look at the recent past, actions of Musharraf's government & of those of the democratic governments & for a second think Musharraf was born in Lahore!
Musharraf is as a great general of his army as yahya khan, tikka khan, niazi aka tiger etc. on his credit lies the great victory at Kargil (the world says it's a humiliating defeat though but then they are jealous of this army's valiant heroes), enactment of NRO the world's greates law to protect the corrupt and their corruption of the worst kind, creation of the daily culture of suicide bombings and corruption as a lifestyle. No doubt keeping these feats of his army is determined with steel resolve to protect him.
It is amazing to see so many Pakistanis supporting Musharraf, who violated the constitution by sacking an elected Prime Minister and installing himself as the dictator. Isn't that the biggest crime against the constitution and the nation? Isn't it the prerogative of the voting public to remove a Prime Minister or the government through ballots or protests and not the army?
The issue is simple. In Pakistan breaking law, abrogating constitution and trampling it under the boot is acceptable while it is high treason in terms of constitution. Those who have no respect for Pakistan and its constitution embrace high treason happily and defend it all the time and benefit from that. To muddy the waters they compare high treason with alleged stealing and corruption which carry only shorter sentences. There are misdemeanors, felonies, treason and high treason and let us respect the law of the land. While most Pakistanis are corrupt but they are innocent unless proven otherwise. Mush's multiple acts of high treason are not hidden but people and families suffered under him. How are the 60 judge's innocent families going to get justice?
I am wondering why my comments is not printed. If ET does not have heart to hear the truth then dont take comments at all. Or tell your readers only selective comments will be published-the one ET likes which is not against Nawaz Sharif. In times of India even we swear on hindus and India but they dont stop publishing the comment. First they used to have a moderator now no moderator your comment goes published right away. Why ET wants a censorship in this electronic and social media days. It beats me.
@Pakistani:
Pakistan is not silly country but Pakistanis are. Illertrate jahils, looto te phutto type. No conscious, Want to become rich overnight, care of selves only. I can go on and on. Pakistani society in general going down in terms of moralality, humanity etc.
@Abdul Kaleem: Musharraf bought his real estate through money earned from his book and his international speakers bureau income. He was getting often more than $100,000 per speech after leaving the government and army. How can you now know this? It is common knowledge.
Kaleem,
do you know the reality of Jang group?
@Mohammad who says: Feel little shame at least.. Musharraf has given 45 years of his life for Pakistan making no money – on the other hands politicians made millions in just few seasons.
Thanks brother for lightening up my evening.
1) Everyone "gives" his life to Pakistan. Doing job to earn livelihood cannot be portrayed as sacrifice. My father served govt for 38 years, but that does not give him license to break law whenever he feels.
2) Musharraf made no money. Do you have any idea how much a flat in burj Khalifa costs? Do you have any idea how many companies musharraf have got investment in? Can you tell me the price of Chak shahzad farmhouse? Jang newspaper termed him a billionaire. Add up his 45 years salaries plus benefits and it wont make one tenth of one billion.
But the people who completely reject the same constitution,and kill citizens of the country are heroes and are being pandered to.They want to take out Musharraf and government is doing their bidding.What a nice way to reward the sacrifice of the army.
Mush didn`t loot the country: the Bhuttos and Sharifs have bled the country dry, who are the traitors.
What a Silly country Pakistan is??
@Munawar, Very true on both points.
@Munawar: very true. ..The blame squarely lies upon Pakistani people who despite knowing well about the likes of nawaz allowed him to become PM.
@Hammurabi: "Khawaja is a prominent leader of a party and he has every right to talk on crucial policy matters".
He has no credibility to talk on this matter. Remember this very person stood respectfully before President Musharraf and took oath of office to become a minister in 2008. Did he forget that Musharraf was a "traitor" then?? Shows character!
@Hammurabi: I don't think people in Pakistan can understand the importance of a constitution which is why a obvious statement like this bothers them. Anywhere in the world, taking over illegally would be considered treason but in Pakistan some uneducated people find a way to justify Musharraf's actions. Musharraf was more corrupt and damaging to the country than any politician.
Musharraf along with Iftikhar Chaudhry, corp commanders rawalpindi, and karachi, all are traitors. All of them should be brought to justice, not just one person.
@AK47 Whoever breaks law must be dealt with same rule as ordinary citizens. No one is above the law. However, it has been observed that politicians have mastered the art of white collar crimes :)
Lol, Janab Rafique Saab first try to come out clean yourselves and then start making noise on others. At this moment more attention is required to clean the mess in the Railways and all public sector units of the country done by your democratically elected predecessors.
@Arif: Indeed Musharraf made Pakistan one of best economies in world, no one was jobless, he initiated dams and energy projects for next 50 years, and did no corruption at all (Its just co-incidence that he got billionaire). Even the likes of Mahatir Muhammad cannot match genius of Parvez Musharraf. Writing this with teary eyes :)
Really Khwaja saaab!!! you figured that all by yourself? now can you please focus on doing your real job ..rectifying the world's worst railways.. if you could do 1% of what Musharraf accomplished for Pakistan I will start paying attention to you.
Now if only we had forgotten how news about Mr. Saad surfaced that the doors were closed during balloting and Mr. was inside stamping himself for himself! These are the kind of people who aren't even big enough to comment on household politics let alone judging a leader like Musharraf!
This trial is biased without a boubt
Keeping in view the his activities during the 2013 elections, is their any way to judge the railways minister and his loyalty toward the country?
Musharraf is bone which is stuck in your throat, you can not digest it nor spit it out! he has proven to be nightmare of you all.
Musharraf is not a looter. He is far better than so called democratic leaders.
Well, this makes Mr.Saad Rafique nothing less than a national treasure and a embodiment of honesty and integrity!
Mr. Rafique , I did not know that you were also a judge besides being a minister in the federal cabinet. General Musharraf ( and I am no fan of the army taking over the country) has yet to pass through a due process of justice. Whatever these words mean to you or to your government.
...... you may be right BUT those who have stashed billions of dollars of looted and plundered wealth of this country and have stashed this abroad are also not angels.
@YP Mississauga: Nelson Mandela was a great leader. Our ruling class have no integrity at all, let alone follow the foot steps of Nelson Mandela. Our fellow Pakistanis have elected small minds for big jobs. It's a shame !
@Kaleem: Mr. Musharaf whose era is full of development and progress for Pakistan. He is not a looler and plunder of the Wealth belongs to Pakistani People and like sons, daughers,relative of Nawaz and his pack of looters including Iftekhar. Mr. President _ Musharaff, I salute you for your Honesty and making Pakistan Proud
Please kill Musharraf if you are really that commited to rule of law. Otherwise just shutup. We all know what you guys are incappable of doing anything even for something very important the N brother were using drugs to make them capable.
The politicians who loot public treasury are the worst offenders and Traitors NOT General Saheb. General Saheb is the best patriot Pakistan has ever had. He fought four wars for the country. He ruled the country for 9 years, saved it from being attacked by USA after 9/11. This is the worst form of injustice against General Saheb. Shameful.
@Kaleem: What about politicians?
I hope our ruling class learn something from Mr. Nelson Mandela.
Thanks:) now please can go back and make the railwyas better
Its time for tough decisions. Its time for Rule of Law. Don't feel sympathetic about those who made Constitution a Joke. Musharraf did everything for his personal gains, and NOT for Army gains.