Q: You have filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan to be granted permission to return to Pakistan. What’s stopping you from going back?
A: The government has said that if I go to Pakistan, I will be sent back here. You saw what happened when my daughters and wife went to Pakistan. They have nothing to do with politics, but still they were harassed and forced out of the country. So you can imagine what they would do to me if I went back. The law of the jungle is prevailing in the country. But I am not frightened of jail - I want to go back and defend the cases against myself.
Q: If you were not afraid of jail why did you leave the country in the first place?
A: I did not leave the country willingly. To tell you the truth, I was forced out of the country. I am ready to swear on the Quran that I was not willing to leave the country, but was put on the plane by force.
Q: Does that mean that if the Supreme Court does not order the government to allow you into the country you won't return?
A: I have complete trust in the court and judges. I can't even conceive that the court would not allow me to return to my country. I am sure I will be going back very soon.
Q: How soon?
A: Well, quite soon. I am going through health checks and consulting doctors because I want to go to Pakistan in perfect health.
Q: How much validity is there in the speculation that you and PPP leader Benazir Bhutto will return to Pakistan together?
A: Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto is a citizen of Pakistan and a former Prime Minister. She will return to her country, so will Nawaz Sharif and myself. But so far there is no plan of Ms. Bhutto and myself returning together.
Q: Have you been in touch with Ms. Bhutto recently?
A: No, I haven't.
Q: What is your response to rumours that you have struck a secret deal with General Musharraf's administration?
A: That is absolutely untrue. I have not struck any deal with the government. If I have to strike a deal I would rather do it with the people of Pakistan.
Q: Do you have any contact with General Musharraf's aides?
A: No, there is no official contact, but one meets different people and possibly some of them could be Musharraf's aides. I have indirect contact.
Q: In an interview in October 2002, Nawaz Sharif said that General Musharraf should be tried for his crimes. Do you endorse that suggestion?
A: I do not believe in political vendetta. The Pakistan army is an important institution, but army governments are against the interests of the country. We want to be engaged with the army and do not want confrontation with it, but the army has to be kept away from politics. Pakistan is a poor country and we have to do a lot of work to lead the country into the modern age. I genuinely believe that without democracy, the country cannot prosper.
Q: What kind of democracy are you talking about? Can you honestly say when Mian Nawaz Sharif was at the helm, Pakistan had true democracy?
A: I admit that our democracy was not good enough, but Martial Law is not the cure for a not-so-good democracy. No political government has been allowed to complete its term. Agencies have been used to destabilise successive governments and abet conspiracies.
Q: Yet you were the people who conspired against Benazir Bhutto's government, weren't you?
A: I confess that we were involved in [making it difficult for her]. We were used by the agencies and became tools of their conspiracies. They didn't allow democracy to flourish. Politicians are accountable and so should everybody else be. Why are generals not accountable to anyone? Their policies made us lose half the country, resulted in two wars and then there was the Kargil episode. Why have they not been held accountable?
We started the peace process with India five years ago with the Lahore declaration, but they said we betrayed the Kashmir cause. Now after five years they are doing the same thing. So is this loyalty or betrayal? I would say the country has suffered the most under army rule.
Not much of a surprise. The ugly hand of the agencies is behind much of pakistan's ills. They have hijacked the pakistani state since and only after these agencies are elimnated and their officers hanged for treason, will pakistan have true democracy.
Otherwise, we will continue to move from one blunder to another.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Imdad Ali: *
So, you admit the dirty hand of army in pakistan's decay?
Good, we are moving forward now.
[/QUOTE]
I never said they are angels. they are from same society we have developed in PAkistan. they didnt come from skies.
its not only army who is responsible for this so called "decay"
if the politicians were able to handle the country (including the army)properly. we must have established a good democracy in Pakistan by now.
everyone becomes part of loot and plunder when they come to power. when the mess get out of hands, then army steps in. why cant they be more smarter and avoid such situation? like in india? army there is no less powerful than pakistani army?
answer is politicians are not capable enough, just bunch of clowns, come to power only for business. not smarter or thinkers enough.
they mostly hail from rich b****ds, dont represent a common man.
ok amry is corrupt , why they become part of this then? if they win election only on ISI palnning then they shouldnot accept it even after winning it if they are fair with the country.
if they get the share they can be part of most corrupt general of army.
here goes a politician integrity and so called "khidmat of awam"
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Shak killS: *
if the politicians were able to handle the country (including the army)properly. we must have established a good democracy in Pakistan by now.
[/QUOTE]
If army had not intervened in politics all the while, we must have really established a functioning democracy by now.
What shawaiz said. How can you expect the politicnas to become good and clean when their bossess (army) do not want to become part of the democratic process. Because the army knwos that in a true democracy they will have NO power over civllians, except perhaps in time of war. They will nave to not only say yes sir to the democratically elected leaders but follow their orders as well. This si unthinkable to the high and mighty generals who have bigger egos then guns. They are not willing to give up the power they have accumalted for so long in pakistan and hand it all over the politicians. That is the main source of problem for our democracy.
Even on karachi's streets, everyone knows the army is above the law of the land. Why can't people here figure this out?
If army had not intervened in politics all the while, we must have really established a functioning democracy by now.
[/QUOTE]
if you looked at my comments it also includes army being controlled by civilian rule.
look if I am sincere, fair and strong enough in my character and know how to handle army etc. and not busy in just making my own empire but working for the country, no one can come and intervene in my work.
its not all fault of army, primary fault > politicians , secondary you can blame on some power hungry generals.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Shak killS: *
its not all fault of army, primary fault > politicians , secondary you can blame on some power hungry generals.
[/QUOTE]
No, it's the other way around. Majority of our history, army has controlled civillians, even when we had "democracy"
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Imdad Ali: *
No, it's the other way around. Majority of our history, army has controlled civillians, even when we had "democracy"
[/QUOTE]
Amm, when did pakistan have thios period of "Democracy"? Please enlighten me?
Was it under the bhutto years, or mabye Nawaz? hmm? Get a grip IMAD! your starting to loose it! We are closer to democracy now then we ever were!
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Imdad Ali: *
No, it's the other way around. Majority of our history, army has controlled civillians, even when we had "democracy"
[/QUOTE]
thats because politicains werent working properly to stop this interference.