Treason trial: Altaf speaks in Musharraf’s defence

Questions govt’s move to charge only the former president under Article 6.

KARACHI:

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Saturday questioned the government’s move to implicate only former president Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution.

“Those who have charged Musharraf under Article 6 have violated the Constitution themselves… why is he the only one being kept in jail?” he asked while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Nazeer Hussain University which is named after his father.

“Those who arrested Nawaz Sharif before Musharraf’s plane touched the ground should also have been charged [for treason],” the MQM chief, who was addressing the gathering from London, said.

“People talk bad about Musharraf, but they forget about Ziaul Haq,” he added.



‘I can return anytime’

The MQM chief told the gathering that he could return to Pakistan anytime as he has applied for a Pakistani passport and National Identity Card (NIC).

“Pakistan was my home, is my home and will always remain my home. I can come back to Pakistan any day,” he said. Altaf said he applied for a new Pakistani passport and NIC on April 4 since both of them had expired. He added that in case he was denied a passport, it would be up to the people to decide what should be done next.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2014.