ISLAMABAD - Former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that the National Reconciliation Ordinance 2007 was promulgated to foster mutual trust and remove vestiges of political vendettas and victimization.

“The promulgation of NRO 2007 was to foster mutual trust and confidence amongst holders of public office and remove vestiges of political vendetta and victimization to make the election process more transparent and to amend certain laws for that purpose and for the matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto,” Gen (retd) Musharraf said in his reply submitted to Supreme Court.

Gen (retd) Musharraf, through his counsel Akhtar Shah, submitted the reply in a case pertaining to recovery of losses incurred through the promulgation of NRO in 2007.

On April 24, the top court had issued a notice to Gen (retd) Musharraf on an application regarding the NRO 2007, which caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer.

On July 4, while making it clear that those who think they will not be caught, the top court had also ordered  Gen (retd) Musharraf, Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and former attorney general for Pakistan Malik Qayyum to submit their details of foreign assets.

Gen (retd) Musharraf further said that under the circumstances and the prevailing condition at that time, the NRO 2007 was promulgated without having any malafide or vested interest on the part of him.

“All the actions of him were in accordance with the laws as existed at that time,” he said in his 3-page reply.

He further submitted that the NRO 2007 was promulgated by him on the advice of the government but the same was declared vide ab-initio by the top court. He requested the top court to dismiss the petition to his extent.

Zardari has already submitted his reply on the petition terming it a politically-motivated. 

S Feroz Gillani in his petition has contended that Gen (retd) Musharraf, Qayyum and Zardari were liable to compensate all the losses and damages suffered by the exchequer of debt-ridden Pakistan and that includes the loss of $60 million stashed in Swiss banks through corruption and money-laundering by Zardari.

It further stated that Qayyum, who had also been a judge, while hearing the Ehtasab case against Zardari violated the code of conduct of the judges by obtaining undue favour from the prosecution in return for a diplomatic passport and other benefits for himself and his wife in clear violation of rules.

“As far as issuing a letter to Attorney General of Geneva dated 7th April 2008 by Malik Muhammad Qayyum (Attorney General) is concerned, it seems that he had done so in his personal capacity, against the Rules of Business, 1973,” the petition quoted a para of the Supreme Court judgment on the NRO

“Musharraf and Qayyum willfully violated their oath of office, as provided in the constitution, to the detriment of the country in violation of the rule of the law, in particular of Article 2, 2A, 25, 227 of the Constitution,” it read.

“Responsibility of the colossal financial losses to the national exchequer as described above rests fully with Gen (retd) Musharraf, Qayyum and Zardari who should compensate by reimbursing the amount of the loss to the national exchequer,” it reiterated.

The petition prayed the court to direct the federal government and the NAB to recover the huge amount of public money misappropriated and wasted through unlawful means.