PPP to support PML-N in Musharraf trial

Islamabad, Aug 25: Despite having ideological differences with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) would support former President General Pervez Musharraf's trial resolution.

PPP has ideological differences with PML-N but it would support resolution bringing dictators and breakers of constitutions to book," the Dawn quoted Attorney General Sardar Latif Khosa, as saying.

Khosa said the PPP does not support the ideology of political victimization, but said that if a unanimous resolution for Musharraf's trial is passed then it would support the move.

"PPP does not believe in political victimization but if the parliament passes a unanimous resolution in this regard, then action must be taken against the former dictator," he said.

Khosa urged Pakistan Muslim League -Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to stop supporting Musharraf and instead back other parties for his trial.

Meanwhile, parties supporting the PPP-led government have said that they are not interested in bringing any resolution against Musharraf.

"Smaller parties have no plan to take an initiative of bringing a resolution either in the National Assembly or the Senate," sources said.

Parties such as the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Functional) share power with the PPP at the Centre and believe that it would be very difficult to bring a resolution against the former army chief particularly when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) were behind Musharraf.

"We have no intention to bring a resolution in parliament, and don't want to copy the PML-N, which had announced bringing a resolution but backtracked within a few days," JUI-F Secretary-General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said.

ANP Vice-President Haji Muhammad Adeel said it would be better if the two major political parties take the initiative over the issue.

"Yes, we are always against the dictators and, therefore, Musharraf should be tried under Article 6, particularly after the Supreme Court had declared his steps as unconstitutional," Adeel said.

ANI