New disclosure: Kayani wanted Waziristan operation to be his decision, says Gilani

Ex-PM says his govt wanted to take action, but then army chief was reluctant .

KARACHI:

Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has revealed that during his tenure the PPP-led government wanted to launch a military operation in North Waziristan Agency, but the then army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was reluctant.

“After the Swat operation, I had held meetings to discuss military options in North Waziristan, but Gen Kayani wanted to take this decision on his own,” Gilani told a news conference at the PPP Media Cell on Friday. Gilani’s disclosure came days after former chief military spokesperson, Maj-Gen (retd) Athar Abbas, blamed Gen Kayani for the delay in the Waziristan operation.

Gilani said the former army chief had told him to leave it to the army to decide the date and time for the military action. “This is why we did not insist on an operation and left the decision to Gen Kayani,” he said, adding that the PML-N government did not take political parties into confidence before taking action against the militants in North Waziristan. “We demand the government convene either an all parties’ conference or a joint sitting of parliament on this issue,” he added.



‘Safe passage deal’ with Musharraf

The former premier called upon the PML-N government to abide by the deal it had struck with the establishment to give former military ruler Pervez Musharraf a ‘safe passage’. “Musharraf had stepped down as president as a result of a deal between the establishment, the PPP government and the PML-N. It was decided that if Musharraf resigns, the government will neither impeach him nor file cases against him.”

Gilani reiterated that all those who were part of the negotiation with the establishment should abide by the agreement. Gilani called Musharraf’s resignation as a major success of his government. “How could a former military ruler-cum-president leave the country without an agreement?”

Gilani, however, categorically said that he was not siding with Musharraf or defending him, but the PML-N government should abide by their deal rather than taking action against Musharraf.

Regarding the ‘campaign against the PML-N government’, Gilani asked political forces, including the PTI, not to derail democracy. “Let us join hands to strengthen parliamentary democracy,” he said, adding that all decisions should be made in parliament, not through street agitation. “The PPP has differences with the PML-N government, but it supports democracy and will let the government complete its five-year term.”

PML-N denies being part of any deal

Leaders of the PML-N, however, denied they were part of any deal on Musharraf’s exit. Talking to the media soon after Gilani’s news conference, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq said, “Our party had nothing to do with the deal, which was signed between the PPP government and the establishment.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2014.