*Shuakat Aziz has a big guilty sign written all over him :hehe: *
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=15440
ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf has said he had invited former prime minister Shaukat Aziz thrice to come back to the country and defend his much-criticised economic policies. However, Shaukat refused and said he feared for his life.
The president expressed these views while taking to columnists and editors here at the Presidential Camp Office on Wednesday. The president disclosed the former prime minister had refused his offer and said he would not return until he was given concrete guarantees and he feared that his life would be threatened if he returned.
The former premier thinks that the incumbent PPP government might put his name on the exit control list after which he would be ‘dumped’ in Pakistan, the president said. The president said Shaukat Aziz also fears for his life as his political opponents are linking his name to the Lal Masjid saga and the Balochistan operation. He feels that when he was the prime minister a lot of law enforcement agencies were responsible for ensuring his protection but now when he would return the government would not provide him any security cover.
When asked why he feels that Shaukat Aziz should return, the president said he feels the former prime minister should return and defend his policies as lots of fingers are pointing at him and should not be scared and have trust in Allah, who is the protector of all.
However, the president refused to comment when asked if Shaukat Aziz could be summoned back forcibly. When asked wouldn’t the government provide Shaukat Aziz a security cover since he was the former prime minister, the president said, “Why not. When the tenure of this government ended, Shaukat Aziz remained in Karachi for a while without any security cover and nothing happened to him. No attacks were made and I don’t think now anything would happen to him either, so there is no harm in coming back.”
The president said he is not responsible for the economic crisis confronting the country. He said the previous government may be held responsible for the economic downturn. “My policies and steps should be viewed in the backdrop of circumstances that existed in the country at a critical point in time in the past,” Musharraf maintained.
Musharraf strongly rejected allegations of a conspiracy against democracy being carried out in the presidency and said he was a strong supporter of democracy. He also rejected allegations consistently being imposed by a single party, maintaining he was witnessing Pakistan’s future as quite bright.
He said he has worked for the promotion and development of democracy and embraced the people’s mandate when he was Army chief. However, he ruled out any notions of quitting the office of president.
He further said he himself planted the tree of democracy in the country, which would soon bear fruit, while strongly ruling out the notion that he was unstable or any conflict existed in the Army. He said parliament which was the real forum had elected him as president.
“If he is impeached in parliament, then it is the right of parliamentarians,” he said. Defending his Nov 3 steps, he said if emergency was not imposed at that time democracy would have been derailed, adding he has no personnel vengeance against anybody.
The president said the country was passing through a very critical time and he was performing his constitutional role to pull the country out these crises. About terrorism and extremism, he said he would not compromise on Pakistan’s national interests. In response to a question regarding judges’ reinstatement, he said the situation was not yet clear enough for any comments or actions.
