This page is basically a fact sheet to put the record
straight and apprise the nation of few happenings behind the scene.
I am pointing out some of the incidents of my exile period where I was an eyewitness of most of the developments taking place abroad. It was well before the departure of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto from UK when UK had become hub of political activities. I am referring to the initial dialogue with Gen Musharraf through his close aides including Mr. Tariq Aziz, Gen Kiyani, and Gen Hamed, where I acted on behalf of Mohtarma and these dialogues took place mostly in UK and UAE and every meeting has become a hard fact of Pak history.
While our dialogue for a political transition with Gen.
Musharraf was going on, it is a matter of record that Nawaz Sharif was also
engaged in negotiation with Gen. Musharraf through Brig Niaz whom Sharif
brother had met to develop an understanding with Gen Musharraf to end their
exile. Brig Niaz was one of the closest friends of Gen. Musharraf and he
emerged as one of his political wheeler and dealer as well as known for his
dealing in defense deals which he started post-PNA movements. The political
activities started to take its final shape in 2007. The GPM strategy was to
engage both Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in dialogue.
It was nearly mid-July of 2007 when a delegation from Saudi Arabia visited Mohtarmain Dubai with a question “if she had any objection if Nawaz Sharif returns back to Pakistan”. She responded that she had no objection to him going to Pakistan and she would like him to go back and contest forthcoming elections. She was all out for Sharif to return. Shaheed wanted to mount pressure for fair elections and transition from dictatorship to democracy. It was for this reason that Mohtarma supported the return of Sharif at every forum.
In fact, the return of Mohtarma paved the way for the return
of Sharif and it was she who persuaded Sharif to contest elections, which was
decided in a meeting between Sharif assisted by Ch. Nisar / Mr. Ishaq Dar/Mr.
Javed Hashmi and Mohtarma assisted by Mr. Amin Fahim (Late) and myself in
Zardari house in Islamabad. Her death shook the country and was a big national
loss and Mr. Asif Zardari acted, thereafter, wisely and controlled the highly
charged situation in Sindh.
President Musharraf was not in favour of Mohtarma and Sharif
returning and tried to block them but the pressure of the USA for restoration
of democracy duly endorsed by yet another country from the Middle East worked
well. Admittedly, Saudi Arabia was backing the return of Sharif to Pakistan
whereas Mohtarma had become the invincible force which Gen Pervez Musharraf was
unable to block.
Just a reminder to refer a press conference: on 8 September
2007 by Lebanese politician Saad Hariri and Saudi intelligence Chief Prince
Muqrin bin Abdul-Aziz, managed by Gen. Pervez Musharraf, addressed an
unprecedented joint press conference at Army General Headquarters (GHQ) to
discuss how Sharif's return would affect relations. Prince Muqrin stated that
the initial agreement was for 10 years but "these little things do not
affect relations." Muqrin expressed hope that Sharif would continue with
the agreement and it was a bid to block the return of Nawaz Sharif. He also
urged Nawaz Sharif to respect an earlier promise to stay away until 2010 but
this changed when Nawaz Sharif used his influence with Saudi King and moreover
he was no more in Saudi and he could influence with his international friends.
In fact, Saudi Arabia gave go head to Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan only
subject to indemnity to Gen. Pervez Musharraf after long discussions and a
visit of Gen Pervez Musharraf where he was informed about assurances. It was a
silent NOR between GPM and Nawaz Sharif, which made Nawaz Sharif return where
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto played her political role to prepare the country
for meaningful elections.
Let me go through the background and the history, which developed during the exile when Charter of Democracy was signed. On 14th May 2006, COD was signed between Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif in London at my residence while we all were in exile and the leadership of both parties got united just to oust Gen. Pervez Musharraf and both parties had already had experienced the real heat of exile. It did not happen in one day and it resulted after a lot of background meetings between both the sides at various level.
I remember the first meeting, which was between me, Senator
Ishaq Dar and Ghous Ali Shah in hotel Pak Lane over lunch and followed by many
meeting in the UK. These meetings then followed by a telephone conversation
between Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif while both were in
London, which was arranged by me and Mr. Ghous Ali Shah. I found Mr. Ghous Ali
Shah a very sensible person and he used to be one of the most trusted aides of
Nawaz Shah during that time but I still wonder why Nawaz Sharif dropped him
from his team. I wish he had not dropped a sensible veteran companion and he
would have benefited from his able advice.
Further meetings between me and Kh Asif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif in random places around Edgware Road continued and discussions centered on only one point agenda to forge cooperation between the two parties to oust Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Mian Shahbaz Sharif had some good suggestion but the ultimate rested with Mian Nawaz Sharif. Finally, the dialogue culminated into COD, which was basically an alliance and political road map between two bigger political parties of Pakistan. It outlined steps to end the military rule established by the 1999 coup led by General Pervez Musharraf and to restore civilian democratic rule. The main features of the COD were as under:1) The structure of constitution of 1973 should be revived like exactly what it was till October 1999.2) Both parties will not do any deal with the running party or mercenaries, so as to win the elections.3) The judiciary, law and Election Commission shall be made neutral.4) If any party win the elections then it will not torment opposition, but instead of this, it will invite opposition in offering suggestions in political social, economic, regional and international affairs. And none of the decisions shall be made that will go against the mind of the parliament. And the same liability is for the opposition that it will also not anguish government like what traditionally it is used to doing.5) LFO shall be revoked, and the principles, which say that minimum age of voters should be 18 years, women are permissible to be the parliament members, and seats of parliament can be increased shall remain unaltered or unmodified.6) Genuine relations shall be established between civil administration and military.This political roadmap was to be followed in full letter and spirit. This COD had made Gen. Pervez Musharraf quite nervous but unfortunately, Mian Nawaz Sharif could not abide by to this COD and he started its violations by, inter alia, establishing direct contacts with Brig Niaz to develop his one to one understanding with Gen. Pervez Musharraf while in the UK. Shaheed Mohtarma was of the view to have a joint political strategy rather individual approach but Sharif decided to have an individual approach.
The writer is a PPP Senator, former Interior
Minister of Pakistan and Chairman of think tank “Global Eye” and Senate
Body on Interior.
The article was published in Daily The Nation
dated June 02, 2018 and link to the article is https://nation.com.pk/02-Jun-2018/a-page-from-history
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