Musharraf prepares to storm Pakistan politics

Former president and ex-chief of Pakistan Army Pervez Musharraf has secured himself a launchpad for his return to the country from his exile in London a political party which is founded with the desire of bringing about "a great change". "We are happy. There is still a lot of work to do, but we have
the concept, the objectives and the will," asserted retired General Rashid Qureshi, who was the military and presidential spokesperson for Musharraf and is now one of the "masterminds" behind the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).

The APML emulates the name of the historical Muslim party that played a decisive role in the independence of Pakistan in 1947, after decades of struggle for freedom from the dominion of British Empire.

The official launch of the party took place quietly in the southern metropolis of Karachi in June where its leaders announced that the party wants to be for "all Pakistanis" without distinction of religion, ethnicity or social class.

"The people of Pakistan are tired of the government's incompetence. It is time for a great change," Qureshi told EFE, and affirmed that the party "has already been registered" and hopes to establish headquarters in all the big cities and provincial councils.

According to a party source, the party has organised various events in other important places of Pakistan like Lahore and the region of Gilgit-Baltistan, since its launch in Karachi.

Some of its leaders are currently in Dubai to meet Musharraf and design a strategy for the new formation.

The source also revealed that this month there could be a launch of the party in London, but added that the final decision is yet to be taken and that it depends on the political situation in Pakistan.

The most notable thing about the new party is that its existence might be the preamble to the come back to the country of retired General Musharraf, who according to Qureshi "would return soon" to Pakistan to head the organisation and to contest the next elections.

"The date (of the return) is not yet decided. We keep informing him of the situation here. When he returns we'll tell the people in advance," said the spokesperson, who added that the APML "is working to guarantee his security".

After nearly nine years in power, which he gained following a bloodless coup d'état, Musharraf found himself forced to give up the presidency of Pakistan in August 2008 to avoid the process of impeachment against him by parliament.

The former president stayed in the country for a while away from the front line but found himself hounded by a number of his old enemies among the political groups, the judiciary and civil society on account of his past manoeuvres when in power.

This made him leave Pakistan and go for pilgrimage to Makkah, and later serve as speaker at various conferences in the Middle East, Europe and the US, till he settled down in Britain.

Sources from different parties including the one that supported his mandate, the Muslim League-Q, showed their concern on whether the former general would dare to return in the present circumstances; while Musharraf has already announced that he would contest in the "next elections".

In a recent video-conference, complete with a Pakistani flag, a bunch of red flowers, a thick book about Michelangelo and a collection of Mozart discs, he announced his decision to return to politics and was confident of obtaining the nation's support.

His hope comes from the renewed rage that he has awakened through internet: his virtual page on Facebook, for example, has a significant figure of 218,071 followers, and that of the APML has added more than 1,500 in a few days.

"You are actually a real leader. We need you here," writes an internet user in support of his return, among other comments.

Not very pleased with the prospect, the influential Pakistani daily "Dawn" expressed its doubts in a recent editorial whether "the self-proclaimed conquest of cyber-space really coincides with the reality" of an underdeveloped country.

"Musharraf has to be prepared to face possible judicial charges against him if he returns to Pakistan," said the newspaper.

A Western diplomatic source described it as being a "positive" thing that a new political party led by Musharraf has been founded in a country which, after all, is considered a democracy.

"Obviously it is very likely that he would become de facto president and (his figure) represents a rupture in the democratic system, which has experienced frequent alterations in Pakistan," said the source.

Spokesperson Qureshi admitted that some parties are hostile to Musharraf despite not being able to present "solid" accusations, and defended that the former general "is even more popular with the lower classes".

Rule of law must for progress: Nawaz

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif has said that he is not annoyed, but regrets the treatment that was meted out to him during the dictatorship. In an interview with a private TV channel, he recalled his confinement in the Attock Jail. “Once an Army major came and informed me in a mysterious manner that he had joined as the superintendent and was tasked with taking care of me. “At that moment, I recalled the episode of my arrest from the Prime Minister’s House. The troops that came had guns directed at me and gave the impression that they could open fire any moment. “The same night three generals came to me to get a piece of paper signed that I refused. The attitude of Gen Mehmood was the worst, but I challenged them to get the paper signed if they could,” Nawaz said, adding he regretted the threat he faced in Attock. “I had asked them what they desired from me. I refused to listen to the language they were using against me and told them that they could throw me in the river.” Nawaz was sure that such a behaviour could not have been meted out in the colonial era. To a question, he said the paper that they wanted to get signed was his resignation as the prime minister and dissolution of the National Assembly under certain articles of the Constitution. At that stage, they were enraged and threatened me of dire consequences. But I replied that it could only happen over my dead body. Then they threw the paper on the table and started requesting me and after repeated refusals, they again became violent. He said Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had not signed a similar paper. “People came out on the streets to restore the chief justice but no one came for me.” Nawaz Sharif said he was not aware about his release, but one morning a representative of the Saudi king came along with Hariri, who is currently the prime minister of Lebanon, and “told me that they were there to take me away as desired by King Abdullah. They informed me that they had already met my parents and that my entire family was in favour of my accompanying them as King Abdullah had called me.” He disclosed that by that time, many Pakistan Muslim League leaders, including Sheikh Rashid, Pervaiz Elahi, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Ejazul Haq, had not only betrayed him but had also captured the party office and burned their pictures. “That happened when I was in the Attock Jail and the takeover was carried out under the protection of the ISI and the MI.” Nawaz Sharif went on to explain that the period of dictatorship was more than that of democracy in the country. “I took over as the Punjab chief minister after participating in the 1985 non-party elections,” he said, adding there had been democracy in India but in Pakistan there was a mixture of democracy and dictatorship. “Those who imposed the military rule and those whoi supported it had committed great mistakes. With the passage of time, it was realised that we must get rid of the martial law.” He was full of praises for Gen Karamat but said that one of his statements was against the national interests. At times, difference of perceptions had developed with Gen Aslam Beg but he used to appreciate the crux of the matter. The appointment of the Rawalpindi corps commander by the prime minister was a tradition eversince the Junejo period and Aslam Beg had also asked me to do so. I had appreciated that gesture but I also disliked some of his statements. Without naming certain countries, Nawaz Sharif said he had not agreed with Beg when he suggested strategic alliance with them. “It was because we were a part of the allied forces that were deployed in Saudi Arabia. The rulers in Saudi Arabia had pointed out this situation, saying such statements were emanating from Pakistan when Pakistani troops were with them.” Nawaz recalled that the question was also raised with President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and exchange of views was held with Gen Aslam Beg. At times, he was associated in policymaking. “I never had differences with anyone because I believed in moving ahead in accordance with the Constitution, get them implemented and take note if anyone crossed the limits.” With regard to dismissal of his government in 1993, the former prime minister was of the view that the action was taken on flimsy grounds. “My government was restored by the Supreme Court that was unprecedented in the country’s history. Things became very complicated and I decided to seek a fresh mandate. In this connection, I set aside the perception that Gen Kakar mounted pressure. My father was also irked over my stance but I was sure of sweeping the elections. On the contrary, Benazir Bhutto won the elections because we never knew that secret agencies also had a role.” When asked about the reaction from the Army to the Kerry Lugar law, the PML-N chief said there might have been reservations but they were not supposed to issue a handout on the subject. The Army was supposed to talk to the government and express its point of view and the government was supposed to carry forward their stance. He admitted as a mistake the appointment of Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of the Army Staff. He avoided a question with regard to the extension of the tenure of the Army chief and said repeating the question was not advisable as our troops are in the state of war. When asked about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, he said he could not forget the moment. “A meeting was scheduled between me and her, but it could not take place because of her death.” When I rushed to the hospital after her death, the PPP workers had gathered around me and said Nawaz would ensure revenge for Benazir. I had promised to do it at the first available opportunity. Comparing his relations with Benazir and Zardari, he said she was very straightforward with him. Had she been alive, things would have been better. We were political adversaries but theenmity was over, Nawaz said. About Zardari, he said initially he was sincere. Although, he had signed the document to restore the chief justice but he did not mean it. That was the beginning of worsening of our relations. It ended up with my disqualification and dissolution of the Shahbaz Sharif government in the Punjab. He asked how Musharraf had accumulated Rs 580 million. Accountability has to be across the board. Corruption is never restricted to politicians. Generals, journalists, judges and civil servants had also plundered this country alongside politicians, Nawaz insisted. There has to be homework about the future of the country, Nawaz said. All the stakeholders and institutions have to sit down and evolve a methodology to run the country in accordance with the Constitution if a deadly revolution has to be avoided in the country. None should cross the limits of the Constitution and an economic and foreign policy has to be framed for the next two decades. Policies are not to be altered with the change of governments, he asserted. The former prime minister said the defence budget should also be discussed in parliament. With regard to normalisation of relations with India, he said the Kashmir issue by now would have been resolved, had there been no interruption in the peace process that was launched with the arrival of Vajpaee in Lahore in 1999. He said Pakistan was not the only party to the Kashmir problem, the people of Kashmir and India are also to be taken on board. With regard to relations with the US, he said there had been ups and downs in the last 60 years. The policy adopted by Clinton was positive and same is the case with Obama. Bush had ties with Musharraf only; he had no relations with the people and political parties of Pakistan. Nawaz said it was a mistake not to establish relations with Russia. The policy to dominate Afghanistan by Pakistan had failed in the past and we have to leave it now. Nawaz said as compared to the past, he had become more vocal and straightforward. “I spend two hours with my mother when I am in Lahore. She loves me and prays for me a lot whenever I meet her,” Nawaz said. Recalling his early childhood, he said his mother used to give him four Annas. He used to spend two Annas to purchase sandwiches and the rest for cold drinks. Recalling the best childhood friend, Nawaz said Shabbir Sharif Shaheed was his school days friend, who was martyred in the 1965 War. Khwaja Asif is his friend since they were in the Government College, Lahore. “My father also loved me a lot. He used to speak with me in Urdu while my mother talks in Punjabi. I used to draw inspiration from my father who taught me to serve the country and the poor.”

India, Pak should build on progress made in any area: Qureshi

India and Pakistan should build on any "positive development" in any issue including Kashmir and look at ways to make progress where it has not been achieved, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said.

He, however, trashed former President Pervez Musharraf's four-point formula for resolving the Kashmir issue, saying it was "his thinking" which did not have the endorsement of Parliament or Cabinet.

"We will not like to ignore anything. We will not like to ignore any development or any positive development that has taken place between India and Pakistan," Qureshi told PTI in an interview here.

He was responding when asked to comment on India's emphasis that there was a need to "reaffirm" the progress made through "complex negotiations and dialogue through patient and unsung effort" whether in the composite dialogue or back channel diplomacy.

"Any issue, whether it is Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Water, any issue where progress can be made, should be made. Where it hasn't been made, we should look at ways and means how to make progress. Where progress has been made, let us build on it further," Qureshi said in a wide-ranging interaction.

He will be having talks with External Affairs Minister SM Krishna in Islamabad on July 15 to discuss ways to reduce trust deficit and improve ties.

Asked whether his government endorses the four-point formula floated by Musharraf in December 2006 to resolve Kashmir issue, the Foreign Minister said, "The four-point formula that Gen Musharraf made then was his thinking. It was being done through quiet back-channel diplomacy."

The formula envisaged softening of Line of Control (LoC), self-governance, phased withdrawal of troops from entire Jammu and Kashmir and joint supervision by India and Pakistan.

"We are a democracy, Parliament has to own them, Parliament has to endorse them, Cabinet has to discuss them," the Foreign Minister said, adding these proposals were "neither discussed by Cabinet, nor endorsed by Parliament. So, as democrats, there are certain Parliamentary procedures that we have to fulfill."