Army put country on track, civilians derailed it: Musharraf

DUBAI: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has claimed that the army brought the country on track but the civilian governments derailed it again.

During an interview with BBC Urdu, Pervez Musharraf asserted that democracy or dictatorship made no difference to the people as they only wanted employment, prosperity and security.

He notified whenever the Martial Law was imposed in the country, it was the need of the hour. The former president articulated that progress in different Asian countries happened only due to dictators.

Commenting on the separation of East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in 1971, Musharraf said Bhutto (Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) not the military was responsible for the fall of Dhaka. Gen Yahya Khan was also accused of it in some way but during the 10 years of Gen Ayub Khan’s regime, Pakistan witnessed record progress.

To a question, the former military ruler said ousting the government was only the right of the masses. However, the situation in Pakistan was absolutely different. This right was exercised when there were a check and balance in the Constitution. The people themselves came to the military to get rid of civilian governments.

The people also came to him to do so and he took over the civilian government on their demand.“While protecting the Constitution, we can’t destroy the nation. However, the Constitution can be slightly ignored for protecting the nation,” Musharraf said and added that the case against him under Article 6 was inappropriate.

Musharraf blamed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for a total sell-out policy towards India.To another question pertaining to the assistance in his exit from Pakistan, Musharraf said that he remained the army chief and he believed the army would always consider his welfare.

Commenting on the rule of Gen Zia, Musharraf, while accepting that it was controversial, maintained that the former dictator’s decision to help America and the Mujahideen against the Soviet Union at the time of the Afghanistan invasion was a correct move.

Musharraf also spoke about his 1999 coup in which he seized power from the democratically-elected government of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He said the coup was staged because it was the demand of the country’s people.

Musharraf added that Pakistan’s citizens should have the option to remove a civilian government and there should be checks and balances in the Constitution to this effect.“The people come running to the army to be saved, people come to me asking to be saved,” he said.

“We cannot ruin the country in order to save the Constitution. We can disregard the Constitution to save the people,” he said.“India is involved in Balochistan. Whoever works actively against the welfare of Pakistan is against the country and should be killed,” he said.“I have served as the head of the army and the army will always protect my welfare,” he said in response to a question about his self-imposed exile.