No pressure from international community regarding Musharraf departure:Pervaiz Rashid

Lahore: Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday said the democratic governments always follow law and court’s interpretations and in case court orders to bring Musharraf back through Interpol the government would obey.

Law of land takes its course if any accused person does not appear before court, the Minister said in an interview with a private television channel.

He said former President Pervez Musharraf was summoned by Special Court on March 31 and obviously the law will take its course if he does not appear. The court has granted immunity to former President from appearance in some cases while he was acquitted in ‘Bugti’ case, he said and added in case the government takes a new step it would be considered as “revenge or personal rivalry.”

He said there were court’s decisions regarding inclusion and exclusion of Musharraf name in Exit Control List (ECL), adding that the government had followed these decisions.

Replying to a question about Ahsan Iqbal statement on Musharraf issue, he said this was given at a time when Musharraf was not appeared before the court and it was being perceived that the former president was going abroad as a plane was awaiting and he would leave the country.

The Minister said PML-N stood with people of Pakistan at a time when Musharraf was enjoying powers of his dictatorial regime. “We raised voice against Musharraf even in imprisonment,” he remarked.

He said it was a fact that there was not an exemplary history of obeying law and constitution in Pakistan, however, it could not be said that there was no guardian of constitution and democracy in
the country.

The Minister said from dictatorial regimes of Ayub Khan to Musharraf, there were thousands of people who had rendered sacrifices to protect constitution and democracy.

Pervaiz Rashid said an elected prime minister was arrested illegally on October 12, 1999 and people of the country were not informed till 40 days about whereabouts of their Premier.

Replying to another question, he said, there was no pressure from international community including Saudi Arabia regarding Musharraf departure, adding, during Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz
Sharif’s visit along with Army Chief to Saudi Arabia, just defence matters were discussed. Neither protection nor amnesty was given to Musharraf, he said.

Replying to another query, the Minister said Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan was impressed with Musharraf as the latter had prayed for him to become prime minister.

Rejecting statement of Imran Khan regarding another National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), he said, PTI should discuss the issue in parliament.

Pervaiz Rashid questioned that why Imran Khan did not make his lawyer as a party in Musharraf case ?
Earlier, talking to a private television channel, the Minister said the government has always honoured courts’ decisions. “In spite of the fact that Musharraf subjected Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) to cruelties, we do not want to pursue politics of vengeance,” he added.

Pervaiz Rashid said contradictory statements were issued by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) over Pervez Musharraf’s departure and added Musharraf continued travelling abroad frequently during PPP regime.

Even opposition leader in National Assembly, Khursheed Shah has raised no objection on Musharraf’s departure while back benchers of PPP in parliament were raising hue and cry on the matter.

Pervaiz Rashid said Musharraf was also nominated in murder case of Benazir Bhutto, mother of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari,but this did not prompt his father to take any action.