Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has categorically rejected the perception of any secret deal with the former President Pervez Musharraf to give him a safe exit. "If there had been such a deal it would have come forth by now as media is very vibrant today," he said in an interview with a private TV channel.
He said that President Musharraf's actions neither have been indemnified by the parliament nor has he been convicted so there is no question of him being pardoned. Gilani said that the remarks attributed to President Zardari in this regard have already been contradicted by the Presidency.
Replying to a question about three 'deals' in the past with Pervez Musharraf, involving Nawaz Sharif and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and President Zardari, Gilani said as far as the deal with Nawaz Sharif is concerned he did not consider it a deal as the PML (N) leader at that time was under custody. "If a person is in custody, legally it cannot be considered a deal. Confession before a police officer is no confession."
He said negotiations between Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf were going on for the former President to doff off his uniform and for holding free and fair elections. However, he added, there were many conditions, which were not fulfilled and emergency was imposed after which Benazir contacted party leadership and decided to go for a long march.
He said after PPP came into power, they started putting pressure on Musharraf and the provincial assemblies passed unanimous resolutions for his resignation and later planned to go for his impeachment. To a question the Prime Minister said that Musharraf's well wishers might have advised him to quit honourably. If the former President had had the support of judiciary or the army, he would have never resigned, he added.
He further said that when President Zardari and Nawaz Sharif were holding a press conference to declare Musharraf's impeachment, he was supposed to go to Beijing Olympics but was delaying his plans to go to China. Finally, he called off his tour but the Foreign Office said one of the two should go in view of Pakistan's relations with China.
He said the President had consulted informally with his political aides and with common friends about using 58 (2)b against him. "He would say that I had many options and this (58) was one of them." About using article 6 of the constitution against Musharraf for holding his trial, the Prime Minister reiterated that only unanimous resolution of the parliament could decide it.
He, however, said that his government is a blend of political parties and people who had been with President Musharraf and he also wants to take along the allied parties. "If there is a unanimous resolution then the whole nation would be together." He said he suffered at the hands of Musharraf regime as he remained in jail for five years during which his sister and mother died.
"Emotions and politics are two different things. I have to think about country." To a question about Balochistan he said, under a package which includes constitutional, administrative and economic reforms, is currently being prepared under constitutional amendments after which the people of the province would be satisfied.
He said he has already started taking allied parties into confidence over these reforms. "If it is taken to the joint sitting of the parliament for the approval where it is defeated, then nothing will be achieved." "We have to implement this package as we don't want to play before the galleries." He said this package would set a direction towards greater provincial autonomy.
About the issues of governance, Prime Minister Gilani said it is the responsibility of the government to resolve them. He said the biggest challenge to the country is terrorism, elimination of which is priority number one of his government and stressed that no war can be won without the support of the nation. "The parliament has supported us whole heatedly on this war against terrorism and I am grateful to the leadership of all political forces."
He asked a counter question whether the current operation against the militants is successful or the one carried out in the past. He paid tributes to the armed forces, police personnel and all those who laid down their lives in successful operation against militants in shortest possible time.
Prime Minister Gilani also highlighted the excellent handling of Dips and their safe return to homes immediately after the army operation. About extending army operation into other troubled tribal areas he said his strategy is not to move alone but take all stake holders along.
He said when time comes he will take all the political as well as military leadership into confidence and "see whether it is worth it or not worth it but I will not disclose it earlier." Replying to a question about changes in bureaucracy he said it is a continuous process.
He said he has worked with President Musharraf for six months and no minister or secretary would meet him without first taking him (Gilani) into confidence. He said contrary to the general impression, he enjoys all the powers of the chief executive as without his consultation and advice, the service chiefs or judges of superior judiciary cannot be appointed and he is the one who has the authority to make changes in bureaucracy.
Prime Minister Gilani said that President Zardari has a unique position as he also heads a party and his position is much better than Pervez Musharraf. Therefore, he added, he cannot use 58 (2)b given that there is so much of judicial activism which will never allow such an action.
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