Speaking to Gharidah: ‘Siegel demanded cash for court appearance’

LAHORE:

Former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf claimed on Friday that US lobbyist Mark Siegel did not appear before the anti-terrorism court a month ago because his demand for cash had probably gone unmet at the time.

Talking to Express News anchor Gharidah Farooqui, Musharraf said: “Mark Siegel was paid by Benazir to do lobbying for her; and probably he is now lobbying for [her husband and Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson] Asif Ali Zardari,” he said.

Though Siegel said he was unwell and did not turn up in court a month ago, Musharraf said he had come to know that “he [Siegel} was demanding money [from Zardari at that time]. “His video testimony in court shows that perhaps they have struck a deal now and he has received the money,” he said.

Musharraf said he called Benazir Bhutto only once, after she had returned to Pakistan. “I had received a by hand message from United Arab Emirates that three suicide bombers were after her and I had told her about this bit of intelligence,” he said.

He said he hoped that truth will transpire and prevail. He said he never issued threats to anyone particularly to women. “Such behaviour does not sit well with my personality,” he said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2015.