Pakistan’s ruling PPP on Wednesday denied that the former President Pervez Musharraf was given a “safe exit” after his resignation under a negotiated settlement guaranteed by “international and local” stakeholders, saying that no such deal was struck.
The senior PPP leader and the Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar contradicted reports in the media that President Asif Ali Zardari had confirmed holding negotiations with international guarantors to give indemnity and safe passage to Mr. Musharraf after he stepped down as President last year.
His statement came amid criticism from the opposition PML (N) on Mr. Zardari’s reported comments at an ‘iftar’ he hosted on Monday.
“In the chat with journalists (during the ‘iftar’), there was no mention of negotiations with so-called national or international guarantors to give immunity to Musharraf subsequent to his exit,” Mr. Babar said.
The main opposition PML (N) of former premier Nawaz Sharif has demanded that Mr. Zardari should apprise parliament and the people of the deal arranged by international powers.
Senior PML (N) leader and the leader of the opposition in Parliament Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said Mr. Zardari’s comments were “violative of national sovereignty.”
In the wake of PML (N)’s criticism, Mr. Babar clarified that Mr. Zardari had told the journalists that “national political leaders and parties had held negotiations among themselves to chase Mr. Musharraf out of office....”
