"Apologetic" Musharraf blames 'misleading' Chaudhry brothers for NRO fiasco

Lahore, Oct 7 (ANI): Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has apologised to his countrymen for giving a green signal to the National Reconciliation Order (NRO), and has blamed the Chaudhry brothers of misleading him on this as well as other issues.

"I apologise to the people for the NRO because it was a wrong decision; it led to a chaos in the country," the Daily Times quoted Musharraf, as saying.

NRO was a wrong decision as it created differences within the nation, he admitted, adding that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had pressed him to sign the ordinance.

The former general also disclosed that all his meetings with former Premier Benazir Bhutto had been held on the insistence of the Chaudhry brothers. "There is always a quid pro quo when two parties get down to hold talks," he stated.

He did not want PML-N Chief Nawaz and Benazir to return back to the country before the elections, he confessed, however, adding that the latter could have become prime minister if she had participated in the elections.

The APML founder also warned the Sharif brothers, Nawaz and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, to remain within their limits, adding that the PML-N chief had disputes with everyone during his tenure, including General Waheed, Jahangir Karamat and Ghulam Ishaq.

The former president reiterated that he would return to Pakistan before the next elections, claiming that there were no cases against him, and if there were any, they would be political.

There was no agenda that went incomplete during his nine years in power, he said, reminding that when he took over in 1999, Pakistan was turning into a failed state and people were looking towards him for saving the country.

He claimed that the biggest achievement of his time had been in the form of self-confidence, pride and international fame the country earned.

Musharraf said confusion still existed in the country, adding that this was the reason why people were still looking towards him. (ANI)