The lawmakers in Senate on Tuesday vented their anger on the government for allowing former military strongman General Pervez Musharraf to go aboard for treatment, saying that his departure changed the political narrative of the country. Speaking on a motion moved by Senator Farhatullah Babar of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on implications of Musharraf's exit from the country, the two major political parties - PPP and PML-N - accused each other of not being able to bring the former military dictator to book.
Despite the fact that PPP did not initiate even a single case against Musharraf during its five years in office, the PPP senators shifted all the blame on ruling PML-N for the exit of Musharraf after the top court rejected a petition filed by Sharif administration to restrict his movement. Winding up the debate, State Minister for Interior Baligh-ur-Rehman said that PPP must not forget of giving a warm send off to Musharraf when he was leaving the office, adding that he travelled abroad numerous times besides enjoying comfortable life as PPP was not even ready to touch him.
"We at least tightened the noose around him as a result he'd to seek refuge in hospitals, besides facing trials in the court. The attorney general for Pakistan kept defending government point of view to the last minute as we'd challenged Sindh High Court verdict for allowing Musharraf to go abroad," he added. Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), who has remained the counsel of Musharraf in the treason trial case, said that more dictators would come unless the politicians mend their ways.
"We know how all these dictators take over the control dismissing the elected governments at gun point because we create the vacuum which is filled by these people automatically. If we want to see the democracy flourish we must correct ourselves," he added. He also reminded the senators especially those belonging to Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) not to forget that it was only Musharraf who returned home voluntarily.
Referring to recently formed Pakistan Sarzameen Party (PSP), Barrister Saif said that he had suggested Musharraf to come back as soon as possible and hold a press conference in Karachi like Mustafa Kamal and his treason case would be withdrawn within no time.
Senator Farhatullah Babar of PPP said that Musharraf's escape from the country underscores a new political statement namely that a military dictator in the future can subvert the constitution and escape treason trial even if the Parliament and the courts had so demanded.
He said that previously all military interventions had the fig leaf of endorsement by PCO judges and by a handpicked parliament. But Musharraf's sabotage of the Constitution was 'cosmic apart' from all previous constitutional subversion, he said, adding far from endorsing the November 3, 2007 sabotage the parliament and the highest court called for trial of Musharraf for high treason under Article 6 and recalled the unanimous resolution of the Senate of April 18, 2013 and the Prime Minister's address to the National Assembly on June 24, 2013.
"This new disturbing political statement that no dictator in the future can be tried under Article 6 must not be allowed to gain roots," he said. He recalled a meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto in Islamabad a few weeks before her assassination to discuss how to prevent future constitutional subversion by dictators.
According to him, Nawaz Sharif in the meeting in utter desperation made some radical suggestions. He proposed an honest and frank in camera dialogue between the political leadership and the security establishment on the growing disconnect between the two. He said that Musharraf's motorcade escorted by security guards was mysteriously diverted towards a government hospital in Rawalpindi instead of going to the court where he was supposed to appear for the treason trial and the hospital welcomed him.
Then came the 'dharna' which 'de-legitimised' the civilian government and the Parliament but legitimized the establishment. Whether it was planned and orchestrated or not the net effect was that dharna made the civilian set up vulnerable and too weak to pursue the treason trial.
He said that unfortunately the politicians were squabbling over the issue in a blame game but little thought was given to identify the underlying issue. Senator Babar Awan said that Musharraf was allowed to go abroad by the government to return him the favour as he once opened the doors of Attock Fort where he imprisoned Nawaz Sharif in 1999 after staging a coup de tête.
PANAMA LEAKS Taking the floor on Panama Leaks Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the family of the prime minister has been accused of holding offshore companies, and it would not be right and proper for the premier to nominate a commission and decide its terms of reference.
"Any decision on investigation commission and its terms of reference should be taken only by the Parliament. A parliamentary commission be set up and also proposed the following ToRs for it," he added. "To investigate and make public names of all Pakistanis named in the Panama Leaks; to investigate whether the persons named used ill gotten wealth and undeclared assets to fund offshore companies and to examine loophole in the existing laws that were exploited in transmitting illegal wealth abroad and propose," he added.
He said that the parliamentary commission should also be empowered to identify and acquire the services of forensic experts knowledgeable in white collar crimes both within the country and abroad and hire them for assistance. He said that the din of Panama leaks will not die down as it was an international issue and the entire nation has demanded a thorough probe. Senator Usman Kakar of Paktunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) said that there should be a thorough investigation against all those holding offshore companies abroad.
"Let's expose them once for all as the names of these some 200 people named in Panama leaks is just a tipof the iceberg...there must be more Pakistanis and there is a need to make their name public," he added. The other senator also insisted that all those holding offshore companies must be exposed, adding bring the money of taxpayers which these handful rich have stashed in foreign banks to conceal their wealth.
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