Musharraf should face the music in Pakistan like a man

Islamabad, Aug.19 (ANI): A columnist with Pakistan's Dawn newspaper has said that former president general Pervez Musharraf should be man enough to come back to Pakistan and face the music for his alleged misdemeanours while in power.

According to Kamran Shafi, it is extremely critical that a general of an army whose brass hats consider Pakistan their inherited fiefdom, is tried, and hopefully convicted for rebellion against an elected government, and sentenced to a term in prison like any other person who has violated the law.

"My advice to the 'Commando' (as Musharraf has been known) will be to come back to the country and face the music like a man. He has badmouthed ZAB (Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto) much, and far too frequently when he ruled the roost, once going to the extent of calling him 'the worst thing to have happened to Pakistan'! Well, let us see if he is half the man that Bhutto was," says Shafi in his article for the paper.

He further goes on to say that Pakistanis and the international community must not forget the tribulations of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who though elected, was thrown out of office by the army on the orders of Musharraf and his supporters, treated quite disgracefully, locked up in Attock Fort before being taken in shackles and chains to Karachi to stand trial for that so-called hijacking which many today say was a fraud played out by the 'agencies' to provide grounds for the removal of a constitutional government.

Sharif, he says attempted to come back to Pakistan (from Saudi Arabia) after being expressly allowed by the Supreme Court, but was sent back most shamefully and in disgraceful fashion.

He also says that the Bhuttos were also treated disgracefully, and therefore, there is no reason fro treating Musharraf any differently.

"Now that Musharraf is in deep trouble, there is increasing talk about truth and reconciliation 'so that the country can move ahead.' Whilst many of us have asked both in the written word and in TV appearances for just this for many years now, our suggestion was derisively dismissed by the Commando and his toadies because they were then in unbridled power. However, I am quite willing to lend my support to it, even now," he says.

"Enough of pussy-footing; try the man (and his collaborators) and let the dice fall where they may. This country must go to a better place," he concludes. (ANI)