RAWALPINDI—Retired Army Generals on Tuesday have asked President Pervez Musharraf to resign in the greatest national interest of the country, stressing that a National Government with the consultation of all political Parties must be constituted instead of an election supervised by the present Caretaker set up.
These views were expressed by such imminent retired army officers as the Head of Pakistan Ex Servicemen Society, former Corp Commander and former Federal Minister Lt General retired Faiz Ali Chishti, Lt general retired Talat Masood, former ISI Chief Lt general Hameed Gull and Air Marshall retired Asghar Khan, Retired Dr Sazish Noor Khan, former Corp Commander Rawalpindi Lt General retired Jamshed Gulzar Kiyani, Admiral retired Karamat Rehman Niazi, Admiral retired Iftikhar Sarosh, former Provisional Minister SK Tressler while addressing a seminar and later talking to Journalists.
Lt General retired Faiz Ali Chishti said that he did not trust the present Caretaker Government adding this is a “Qabza Group”. He said that he was willing to present himself for Accountability as in the history of Pakistan no one has been held accountable. In response to a question, he said that after the defeat in Kargil war, President Musharraf should have faced a Court Martial.
In response to another question, he said that he had requested the other members of Ex-Servicemen Society to vote for qualified people and not waste their votes on looters and turn coats. He said that this country is facing no external threat and is only facing internal threats adding that the US cannot cast any evil eye on Pakistan. Lt general retired Talat Masood was of the view that due to President Musharraf being in Power, the three pillars of the country have been abolished and our Army has been involved in Politics.
He said that Tribal Areas posed a great challenge to President Musharraf and he has to find a solution. Former Corp Commander Rawalpindi Lt General retired Jamshed Gulzar Kiyani said that he was not a Member of that team which brought General Musharraf to power and he became a Corp Commander on November 1, 1999. He said that he had advised Musharraf not to support the US and hold referendum as this would only lead to failure.
He said that if country has to be saved then Pervez Musharraf must resign as this is in the greatest national interest of the country. On the occasion, several resolutions were passed in consensus that presence of President Musharraf is strengthening the elements that are de-stabilising the country. The resolution also said that National Government must be formed and it should be unbiased and consisting of political leaders of all the provinces and centers.
The resolution also demanded for an Independent Election Commission with the consensus of all key political parties. The resolution also lauded the measures taken by Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani in which he has asked the in- service Army Officers to stay away from politics and politicians. The resolution further said that we hoped that Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani would restore the image of the Army. The resolution further said that Ex-Servicemen will take part in the struggle for democracy and restoration of the deposed Judges.
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