ABU DHABI: Shrugging off arrest warrants and threats to his life by
terrorists, former Pakistan president General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf
insisted that he would end his self-imposed exile on March 23 next year
and return to the country.
Addressing his supporters in Dubai
at an Iftar party, he said there is nothing to fear. “Many people say
there is danger to my life; but I have already encountered many such
fears and threats during my career. And I’m not scared of these
rumour-mongers. I’ll face the challenges and go to Pakistan. I have
fought earlier and will fight again… to win elections.”
Former
military ruler has been declared proclaimed offender by Pakistan’s
Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) in an assassination case of late prime
minister Benazir Bhutto. He has been accused of failing to provide
adequate security to Bhutto and conspiring to kill her which he denies.
Nearly 2,000 followers attended the party organised by
Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) supporters at the Dubai
World Trade Centre on the occasion of Pakistan’s Independence Day on
August 14, 2011.
"Today isn’t about me and it isn’t about my
political party, this is Pakistan’s day," said Mr Musharraf. "Today is
a happy day. Today all Pakistanis should remember Quaid-e-Azam
[Pakistan’s founder Muhammed Ali Jinnah] and August 14, 1947."
He
said he remembered the birth of the nation vividly and recalled a train
journey from his place of birth in the Indian city of Delhi to Karachi
a few days before partition.
And upon his arrival he saw
thousands of people at the station. "Everybody was crying and on that
day I thought that was what freedom meant."
Quoting a speech by
Mr Jinnah he said the first duties of a government were to maintain law
and order, tackle corruption and black marketeers, improve religious
tolerance and end nepotism and poverty. He said none of these were
being carried out by Pakistan’s current leadership.
"There are
religious and ethnic difficulties but there should not be," he said.
"It should not matter if you are from Baluchistan, Sindh or Punjab. We
are all Pakistanis," he added.
"There should be no religious
intolerance inside Pakistan and it shouldn’t matter if you are Sikh,
Muslim, Christian or Hindu."
Unveiling APML’s four-point agenda
to improve country’s economy and law and order situation, former
president promised to deliver peace, jobs, education and justice if
returned to power in the next elections.
He urged his
supporters to come forward to support newly-launched party APML. He,
however, lambasted and accused present leadership of corruption and
nepotism which is leading the country to the brink of default.
Ironically, Musharraf’s APML has, of late, also been witnessing
defections and accusations of nepotism in its ranks. Nasim Ashraf, a
confidant and staunch supporter of Musharraf for over a decade, was the
latest high-profile deserter of APML. Ashraf is reportedly intending to
spend time with an hospital in Abu Dhabi.
The Independence Day
ceremony was attended by APML leaders from the UAE, the UK and
Pakistan. Altaf Shahid, President of APML’s UK Chapter; Mohammed
Noureed Awan, CEO and President of MMA Group; and members of UAE
chapters. Online
