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Musharraf’s justification of release of Nawaz Sharif |
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The Pakistan military ruler, who has come under severe criticism from every conceivable quarter for the sudden and surprise release of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif into exile to Saudi Arabia, has sought to justify his action. In an address to the nation on December 20, Gen. Musharraf dismissed the charge of any secret deal and said he simply bowed to Saudi request to move Pakistan beyond a politics of revenge. His explanation has however found no takers and the opposition parties like Jamaat-e- Islami have called for his resignation. Other parties have also expressed disappointment with Gen. Musharraf’s failure to explain the circumstances which forced him to send Sharif into exile. There have also been charges that some Gulf countries paid a huge sum of money to Pakistan for the release of Mr. Sharif.
The televised address of Gen. Musharraf came amid reports that he was planning for an interim government headed by a civilian with himself becoming the President of the country. However, contrary to such strong rumours, Gen. Musharraf made no such announcement.
In order to subdue the public outrage at his decision to free former Prime Minister and exile him to Saudi Arabia, Musharraf told countrymen that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah requested Sharif’s freedom. He bowed to Abdullah’s request. He said there is a difference between a popular decision and a right decision and “we made a right decision”. He claimed that his decision to free Sharif will “assure in a new era in our politics”. It will end hatred, promote politics reconciliation, create a money free politics and bring political stability and harmony. Gen. Musharraf during his address use strong phrases to denounce the “shameless” conduct of Mr. Sharif and Mrs. Bhutto. He blamed them for the nation’s ills and wanted the people to see through their gameplan. He vowed to continue his anti-corruption drive and said accountability was not dead, as alleged by some people. Gen. Musharraf who has promised to return Pakistan to civilian rule by the end of 2002 in keeping with the ruling of Pakistan’s Supreme Court, said, local elections beginning Dec. 31 will continue till August 2001 after which his government will launch provincial elections.
Ahead of Gen. Musharraf’s address, a senior government official was quoted as saying that Nawaz Sharif was freed in order to trace his hidden wealth estimated at 700 million pounds amassed during his 21 years in politics. Quoting the official, the Sunday Telegraph of London said, the investigators in the accountability bureau advised Musharraf that the only way to track down the missing fortune of Sharif was to let him start spending. While he was in prison, the government managed to locate only $ 6 million in accounts which have been confiscated. “Now he is free. With his luxury way of life, he will not be able to refrain from spending money and paper trail will emerge that can then be traced.
Notwithstanding the justification of Sharif’s freedom, Musharraf’s 45-minute address has not gone down well with the people of Pakistan. The general view is that Gen. Musharraf has failed to convince the nation. The acting Chief of Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Javed Hashmi, has alleged that a group of Arab counties led by Saudi Arabia paid Rs. 5 trillion (an unbelievebale Rs. 50,000 crores) for his and his families safe passage into exile in Saudi Arabia. The money it was alleged was paid as aid to Pakistan to shore up its floundering economy. Political observers however doubt the figure and say, even by the standards of the depockets oil-rich Arab countries enjoy the figure claimed was clearly outrageous.
Leaders of religeo-political parties have expressed disappointment over Gen. Musharraf’s speech and rejected his views the Jamat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad, has demanded Musharraf’s resignation in order to limit the damage caused by the exile of Nawaz Sharif. He said at a rally in Lahore, the sudden release of Nawaz Sharif and his family has damaged the credibility of the Musharraf government and the accountability process have got no meaning left. He said the Jamaat will hold a big national convention after Id where intellectuals, lawyers, Islamic scholars, ex-army and civil servants and former leaders will be invited to discuss the justifiability of the release of Nawaz Sharif. Defying a ban on rallies, the Jamat-e-Islami staged demonstration on December 18 in several cities including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta against what it called the shameful exile deal between the military regime and ousted Prime Minister. PPP called Musharraf’s address as panic speech meant to cover up his government’s failure and secret deal to release Nawaz Sharif. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam said, the three reasons given by the General were hardly convincing. Amir of Tehrik-ul-Ikhwan, Maulana Akrab Awan, said, the speech contain nothing new. Nor was it informative nor did it contain answers to questions hovering in the minds of the people. Meanwhile, there are also reports of Musharraf facing opposition from within the army. Jamat-e-Islami run daily, Jasarat has alleged that seven of the fourteen Generals of the military command have turned against him.
Nawaz Sharif, who was serving a life sentence on charges of terrorism and kidnapping as well as a fourteen year sentence on a charge of corruption, was freed earlier this month and sent into exile in Saudi Arabia along with 18 members of his family. The military simply did not expect an intense adverse reaction from the public and the political parties to its decision. In the first two days after Mr. Sharif and his family had left from Saudi Arabia the media managers of the military tried their best to sell the line that imprisonment of the former Prime Minister had been converted into exile but there were no takers for this. What has added to the woes of the government was the last minute assertion by Sharif’s wife Kulsoom that they were being forced into exile and they had not entered into any deal with the military regime. At one stage, the media managers advised Gen. Musharraf to make public details of the undertaking given by Mr. Sharif on the dos and donts that apply to him and his family as long as they stay in Saudi Arabia. But, sources say, the idea was dropped amidst indications that the Saudi royal family had sent a clear message that dragging its name into the controversy would not be appreciated.
Political observers in New Delhi, looking into Musharraf’s compulsion to sent Sharif into exile, say it was possible that Sharif’s health during the long prison term might have deteriorated. Under such conditions, he might have turned out to be a martyr or someone from his family might assume leadership of the Muslim League and launch a movement against the ruler. Such a person would have international backing and acceptance because he would be trying to save democracy in Pakistan. Gen. Musharraf’s action in ousting Mr. Sharif over the cooked up charge of aerial hijack and massive corruption had not impressed the West. The USA, a former ally of Pakistan military rulers was on a different track now. It no longer needed military bases in Pakistan to contain terrorist infiltration. It was also angry with Pakistan for its support to the Taliban Islamic fundamentalist and lack of positive action against militants who had attacked US personnel and property. The fear of internal uprising some day in the future and lack of popularity among the West were matters of concern to the Pakistan military ruler. Perhaps, Musharraf thought, it would be wise to get the rid of one of his enemies. Unexpected help and cooperation came from the rulers of Saudi Arabia who offered a ten year political asylum to Nawaz Sharif and his family. And under a hush-hush agreement, the Sharif family was packed off to Riyadh, leaving at least one flank clear for Gen. Musharraf.
Saudi Arabia agreed to the arrangement because over the years, the two countries have shared a peculiar friendship. The rulers of the oil-rich kingdom have found more empathy with Pakistan who, according to them was doing its best to hold up Islamic ideals in the sub-continent.
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