- PML-N senior leaders advise PM not to remove Musharraf’s name from ECL, but not to oppose if courts allow
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that his government will uphold the supremacy of the Constitution in all circumstances, adding that only the rule of law can ensure development of the country.
The prime minister said all the constitutional requirements would be fulfilled on the issue of Pervez Musharraf. He said there was an independent judiciary in the country and the government respects its every decision.
The prime minister chaired an informal consultative meeting of top leaders of the PML-N to discuss key issues during which the leaders opposed the removal of Pervez Musharraf’s name from the ECL.
However, they said that if the former military dictator was allowed by the courts to go abroad, it should not be challenged.
The meeting was attended by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Information Minister Pervez Rasheed, Mehtab Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Adviser on National Security Irfan Siddiqui, Khawaja Zaheer and others.
According to sources, the meeting reviewed former president Pervez Musharraf’s request for removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
Sources said during the meeting, which continued for about four hours, some leaders suggested that the government should move towards resolving the issue instead of further complicating it.
The meeting reviewed in detail all aspects of removal of Musharraf’s name from the ECL and its political fallout. Some leaders said if the government removed Musharraf’s name it would cause a huge damage to the credibility of the PML-N which had followed a hard line against military dictatorship.
Most of the party leaders were of the opinion that if the government allowed Musharraf to travel abroad, it would give the impression that it has entered into a deal with the former president on the pattern of NRO, and closed the matter of trial for high treason. They believed that once out of the country, Musharraf would not return to Pakistan.
Some key ministers, however, advised the prime minister that if the High Court or Supreme Court grants permission to Pervez Musharraf, it should not be resisted.
Talking about the talks with the TTP and the course of action of the government, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif suggested said a way out would be searched for peace in the country by continuing the dialogue process with the TTP. He said preserving the national interest was the top priority of the government.
On the other hand, Minister of State for Interior Balighur Rehman said if Musharraf files an application, the government would consider it according to the law and the Constitution.