LAHORE - Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid has equated Para 66 of the three-judge special court’s judgment against former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf with imposition of judicial martial law.
Addressing a news conference here Saturday, he said the verdict was un-Islamic, illogical, biased and unwise.
He emphatically said that the former president was a patriot beyond doubt.
Jurists say Paragraph 66 is the opinion of Justice Waqar Seth, not endorsed by other two members of the bench. Consequently, it has no legal value.
The railways minister said all politicians were creation of Gate 4 of the GHQ. However, he excluded Prime Minister Imran Khan from this category.
Replying to a question, he said the future of PPP Chairman Bilawal depended on agreeing to go for a plea bargain in corruption cases against him. In case he failed to adopt the course, his political fate will stand sealed like that of PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz.
About role being played by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in the prevailing situation, the minister said he was ‘playing on both sides of the wicket’. Now, he said, the Sharifs would celebrate the new year in London.
He said a false gloomy picture had been painted about health of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to get permission for his treatment in London. It was claimed that Mr Sharif would breathe his last any moment in case he was not taken to London. But he said in view of the PML-N supreme leader’s activities there the prime minister must be repenting for granting him permission.
The minister was critical of the bail granted to PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah by an accountability court.
“126 [bank] accounts owned by Khurshid Shah have been unearthed and still he has been allowed bail,” the minister said, adding that it was still more regrettable that [Pakistan] People’s Party wants to get case of their leaders transferred to Sindh.”
He said it was regrettable that whoever had come [to power] in this country, accumulated assets.
About ongoing protests in India against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), Mr Rasheed stated that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been subjecting Muslims in India to violence and oppression.
Agencies add: Sh Rashid said judiciary and army were two pillars of the country and there was no conflict between them.
He said elements who wanted to weaken Prime Minister Imran Khan, besides creating confrontation between the institutions, would fail in their designs.
He said army considered that democracy was important for betterment of the country, however, issues of unemployment and inflation were present and hoped that these would be controlled in 2020.
To a question, the minister said he considered Pervaiz Musharraf as a loyal citizen of the country as he served the country for 40 years so he could never be called a traitor.He said cases against Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz were serious ones while PML-N leaders and workers involved in corruption would face the music, besides the PPP leaders.
He congratulated Chief Justice-designate Gulzar Ahmed and hoped that circumstances would improve after his assuming the charge as the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
He assured that the country would make progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.He said the prime minister had taken decision in the interest of the country on issue of Saudi Arab and Kualalumpur.
