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Mehdi, Abbasi, Saif, Maqbool, Ghous record statements Nawaz denies charges, accuses Musharraf of conspiracy

WIRASAT HUSSNAIN

KARACHI: The main accused in the October 12 plane conspiracy case, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on Wednesday denied all the charges read out to him by the Anti Terrorism Court Judge, Rehmat Hussain Jaffery, and said Gen. Pervez Musharraf had conspired against a democratically-elected government because of a personal vendetta.

When the proceedings of the case resumed at 10:10 a.m., (instead of 8:30 a.m.), the ATC judge read out the charges framed against Nawaz and other six co-accused in the case of hatching a conspiracy on October 12, 1999 at the Prime Minister House to hijack the PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) flight PK-805 carrying 198 passengers, including Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Pervez Musharraf, 50 American students and members of the crew, kidnapping, and 'Qatal-e-Amad'.

Others who recorded their statements and denied all charges were former principal secretary to prime minister Saeed Mehdi, former chairman of the PIA, Khaqan Abbassi, former chairman of the Ehtesab Bureau Saifur Rehman, former inspector general of Sindh police, Rana Maqbool Ahmed, and former adviser to prime minister on Sindh affairs, Syed Ghous Ali Shah. Shahbaz Sharif, the former chief minister of Punjab, and the brother of Nawaz Sharif will record his statement on Thursday.

In his statement Nawaz Sharif said, "It was a planned coup Ñ troops had surrounded my house on October 12, 1999. I was dragged out of the house. Three generals had come to the block where I was lodged. They wanted me to sign a piece of paper. I read it and refused to sign it Ñ had I signed the paper, this case would not have been instituted against me. Had I signed the paper, I would not have been in jail. But my signing of that paper would have caused damage to the people. I refused. They sat there for one hour and 45 minutes."

He said he had tried to live up to the expectation of his people who would judge his deeds and not those of the dictators.

Nawaz Sharif, while to replying to the questions put to him, one by one, denied all the charges and said he is innocent. "There is no evidence on record against me or against the co-accused charged with abduction, Qatal-e-Amad, kidnapping, and hijacking."

"All the crew including the pilot of the plane were under the control of Gen. Musharraf. They were, all said and done, landed safely without any harm to anyone.

He said he retired Gen. Pervez Musharraf and appointed Gen. Ziauddin as the new Chief of the Army Staff as General Musharraf had planned to create division and unrest in the armed forces and the government.

He said it was his "own decision" to remove Gen. Pervez Musharraf and promote and appoint Gen. Ziauddin as the new COAS.

Nawaz Sharif said he had not asked the plane to be diverted to any other destination. "The plane was in control of Gen. Pervez Musharraf." However, the plane landed safely at Karachi, he said.

Reading from a written statement, Nawaz said this case had been framed against him at the behest of Gen. Pervez Musharraf. He said Musharraf bore a grudge against him, and had already prepared a blueprint for the overthrow of his government.

"I removed Gen. Musharraf on October 12, 1999, at 4:30 p.m. In retaliation to my orders, and instead of accepting a lawful decision, he implemented his plan. He implicated me in this case to divert the attention of the world."

Nawaz Sharif said the witnesses purportedly spoke against him as they were in custody, tortured and intimidated to give evidence against him. "They were forced to give false statement against me. I have received credible evidence as to who had planned to overthrow my government by unconstitutional means."

He charged General Musharraf of having the rooms of the PM House and PM secretariat bugged. "I could not discuss any matter in confidence with my colleagues or staff. I could not discuss matters without switching on the TV at a high volume to get my voice mixed up or lost in the noise created by the TV in order to avoid eavesdropping."

"Among other things, Gen. Musharraf had a grudge against me after I replaced on 17th June 1999, Gen. Moinuddin Haider (Retd) with Syed Ghous Ali Shah at the head of the Sindh government. Gen. Musharraf and Gen. Haider (Retd) are friends and were unhappy on my action."

Nawaz Sharif said Gen. Musharraf also retired corps Commander Quetta on the suspicion that "he had met me on some occasion, though he never met me".

He said by replacing the corps commander, Quetta by a person of his confidence, who was promoted shortly after October 12 as a reward for showing loyalty, and for disobeying the newly-appointed COAS, Gen. Ziauddin, Gen. Musharraf sent a message to the armed forces that other generals could also be replaced by him.

Despite instructions from the ISPR, no contradiction was issued in this regard. The confusion over the retirement issue remained a mystery. "It was to undermine the authority of the elected democratic government and to create differences between the government and the armed forces. The ISPR created a perception that for merely meeting a PM, a three star general could be retired."

He said, "All this dates back to the Kargil issue. It was a serious issue which posed danger to the country. It needed immediate response. I responded immediately. He (Musharraf) was playing hide and seek; not only with the government but with the army as well. My rejection to this was there. What happened after Kargil is known to the world. I saved the country from a major disaster; but could not save myself."

He said that he would not, for reasons of national security, elaborate on the issue further; although people of Pakistan should know in details all about post-Kargil happenings.

He said that he had noticed the army personnel posted at the PM House were equipped with sophisticated gadgets. "This was brought to my notice by my military secretary."

"It was suspected that Gen. Musharraf's plan would be carried out after his arrival from Colombo."

He said "The news of Gen. Ziauddin was announced at 5 p.m. and at 5:20 p.m. the army took over. The PM House was taken over at 6:30 p.m. Gen. Usmani, Gen. Tariq Ali Khan, and Brig. Naveed Hasan reached Karachi airport at 5:30 p.m. to receive a retired general (Musharraf) who was no longer the COAS.

"Army troops of 5 Corps not only reached airport but took control at the Karachi airport at 6:45 p.m."

Nawaz Sharif said on Oct. 12, 1999, he was taken to a barrack, more of a dungeon. For a while I thought I was not in my own country. In fact It was a Nazi camp. No one was there to talk to me, no newspapers, no contact with my family, doors were closed/locked and it was all dark from inside."

He said on a dark, chilly night, he was woken up and told to get up and moved to an unknown place. "While I was taken to an unknown destination, I heard Shahbaz Sharif saying Bhai Sahib God be with you. Then I thought that we were both confined in the same building but never allowed to see each other."

He said the army personnel driving his vehicle refused to reveal the destination he was being taken to. "This place was very cold. I guess it was Murree. It was a shabby room. All windows were closed and covered with black sheets. It was impossible to distinguish between day and night. Doors were locked and opened only when food was given. It was done to break me. But God gave me strength and power to withstand . It my son Hussain was also confined in the same area. I heard him reciting the Quran. It must have been a life of torture."

He said It was again after a couple of weeks at Fajr (morning prayer time) when he was told to pack up and move. While leaving, he asked people to permit him to see his son. "But the permission was refused, impolitely."

He said he was then taken to Islamabad where he was kept in a small dirty room. "There was no chair to sit. And then I was taken to Karachi, and put into a dilapidated room at Malir. I was shifted to Malir jail the other day."

"I was never provided any ground for arrest. I was never provided facility to seek legal assistance and all fundamental rights were denied to me and violated by Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Even today I am taken to court in APC heavily surrounded by (armoured personal carrier) security guards."

"Paranoia not prudence seems to be the watch word of the day," he added

.

He said while he was in the court his belongings in the jail were being searched. "My notes were stolen. My wife, children and parents are being made to suffer for things not related to me. Almost every member of my family is in prison. What kind of justice is this? I have unshattered faith and confidence in my people. Truth and justice will prevail. Any suppression of oppression cannot break my will. I am not infallible. I may have made mistakes. But I am not guilty of impropriety. Why I am being punished? For providing land to landless haris, loans to the poor, building houses for the poor, highways and airports, and making Pakistan a nuclear power?"

"If I am being punished for all this. I will continue to (do so) for days, weeks and years. I cannot give up the struggle to save the honour, freedom and pride of the people."

He charged the government with having instituted a false case against him. It is promulgating tailor-made ordinances and bringing out PCOs to cover its acts.

He said, "NAB (National Accountability Bureau) is only to nab me and my family and punish by hook or by crook. Let them do it. It will not deter me. On the fateful afternoon on October 12, only one crime took place ... the illegal and unconstitutional removal of government."

Nawaz Sharif said this crime was committed by Gen. Musharraf to cover up against his own wrong-doings. "Today (October 12) is the day this document, the Constitution, was thrown into the dust bin. It is based on Quranic injunctions and the 1940 Pakistan resolution. This document can neither be suspended nor held in abeyance by the military or by the PCOs."

He said on the economic front Pakistan was faced with a tough time. Pakistan stands isolated. "We stand separated and isolated from the world. Our friend Turkey is not prepared to look at us. Our friends do not want to talk to us. India is building up and strengthening herself. SAARC is not entertaining us. What have we gained from this? Nothing. One man is supported who is playing with the fate of the people of Pakistan.

"The armed forces are to guard our frontiers, Musharraf is the only man being guarded," he added.

He asked "Who made your country a nuclear power. International community is treating us as a third rate country. No one wants to talk to us, visit us. It appears disaster is looming large on us. "Active replay of 1971 tragedy seems to be in the offing."

Nawaz Sharif said, "The fact of the case is that an FIR was registered after 28 days. It is personal vendetta of Gen. Musharraf and is a design to retain his position. He has sacrificed 132 million people. He must be thrilled to say I have destroyed democracy."

He had taken oath under article 244 of the Constitution. He had committed high treason, by abruptly holding the constitution in abeyance, Nawaz added.

"There are some additional facts but because of sensitive nature I will not talk about it ... I am a responsible man. I have been twice PM and one chief minister of the Punjab. I am fully aware of the implications are.