PML-Q happy over Musharraf’s exit from Pakistan

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Mazhar Tufail
ISLAMABAD: Senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), who were strong supporters of former president Pervez Musharraf, were happy the former dictator has left the country and was not coming back any time soon.

PML-Q Secretary-General Musharraf Hussain Sayed told The News at the moment Musharraf was the most disliked person in the country. “In the given situation in Pakistan, it is highly unlikely that Musharraf may have any role in the national politics.”

About the prospects of Musharraf’s participation in the national politics, Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani told The News: “Under the prevailing situation, no role of the former president (Pervez Musharraf) in the national politics seems visible.”

Many of those who have been vowing to get Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf elected in uniform as president a 100 times, were happy and satisfied after his departure with no prospects of his comeback, feeling they will be better off without his presence.

“Musharraf left the country along with his wife on the pretext of delivering lectures in various countries but there were very slim chances of his returning back to Pakistan,” a PML-Q leader said. “His wife (Sehba Musharraf) returned to Pakistan to supervise shifting of their belongings to their newly constructed farmhouse at Chak Shahzad and again left Pakistan,” he said.

The former military ruler of the country vacated the Army House in the last week of May, one and a half years after his retirement as the Army chief. Musharraf wanted to hijack the PML-Q so that he could stay in the country and his efforts in this regard not only annoyed the top PML-Q leaders but they also felt ashamed because of the acts of their former mentor. PML-Q leaders think the military has also made it clear that neither it has anything to do with Musharraf now nor is it protecting him. They think the military now believes Musharraf would not even return to Pakistan in the near future what to talk of participating in the national politics.

“Not only the PML-Q and his cronies in the political arena have now deserted Musharraf but the military has also abandoned him. The incumbent military leadership does not want to face any embarrassing situation because of Musharraf. His security is a serious problem because he is the most hated person in the country,” a PML-Q leader said.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=22619