Pakistan needs NRO for Musharraf, says UK MP

LONDON: An influential Labour parliamentarian has called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to end the “treason” case against Pervez Musharraf, who is currently holed up in a high security hospital in Rawalpindi.
Khalid Mahmood MP, who is chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Tackling Terrorism in the British Parliament, told The News in an interview that Pervez Musharraf’s case is a “distraction for Pakistan and doesn’t go in favour of Pakistan”.
“A case of this nature against the former head of the state would not be allowed in any other country. Musharraf, if involved in the violation of the Constitution, is not the only one who did it, there must be several others who aided and abetted him.
Why is the government picking on just one person? So much has already been said publicly about this case that it has become polluted from the legal point of view and according to international standards of law.
A fair trial for Musharraf is not possible now,” said Khalid Mahmood, who has been close to Musharraf while the former dictator lived here but the Labour MP also has been close to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.
He said the “nature of the charge against Musharraf is ridiculous and charging a former commander-in-chief in the UK or anywhere else is unthinkable”.
The Labour MP feared that the international community will capitalise on this case and a negative perception will be created about Pakistan. Mahmood advised Sharifs to assess whether pushing the case against Musharraf will resolve the issues of “common people of Pakistan”. He said people generally thought that the PML-N government was chasing Musharraf to distract people from asking questions about the real issues such as price hike and terrorism across Pakistan which claims lives everyday.
The Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Bar said that Pakistan needs a South Africa-style reconciliation. “Going after one person in revenge will not achieve anything. Nelson Mandela was kept in jail for so many years but when he was released, he pursued the policy of reconciliation with his tormentors for the vast interests of his country. He didn’t want his country to go backwards. The main issue in the case of Musharraf is that accountability is for all, not for one person only. Imposing emergency is not violation of the constitution. Armed takeover of the civilian government is. So, if you want to try Musharraf, do it but do it in the right way. Setting up a special court is not necessary. Calling him a coward is bad because he served Pakistan for 40 years or so with dedication.”
Khalid Mahmood said he would not hesitate to launch his case at the UK parliamentary level if Musharraf continues to be treated in a “biased” manner by the government.“There is no need to turn his case into a circus. Pakistan has many serious challenges to deal with. Bring another National Reconciliation Order if needed but it is best if this sham is ended and Pakistan is let to move forward and end the infighting,” stressed Khalid Mahmood.