PAKISTAN’S nuclear programme for which Nawaz Sharif keeps claiming credit had nothing to do with him. Credit must go where it belongs. Our nuclear programme was entirely conceived, provided funding/scientists and executed by Z.A. Bhutto.

Let’s not forget his famous words: “The Christian civilisation has a bomb, the Jewish civilisation has a bomb, the Hindu civilisation has a bomb, why not the Muslim civilisation? We must give it to them.”

It is normal procedure that foreign visits of the army chief are approved by the chief executive of the country. Nawaz Sharif had planned the ouster of Gen Pervez Musharraf in advance. On Oct 12, 1999, while on his way back from Sri Lanka and while his plane was still in the air, along with 200 passengers onboard, Nawaz Sharif refused Musharraf permission to land and ordered the aircraft to go to India.

While Musharraf’s plane was hovering, the army rank and file did what they should have done, like disciplined military professionals: ‘observe and obey all commands of any officer set over them even to the peril of their life’.

Unfortunately, the military rank and file does not have the option like the lawyers to protest, agitate and have their chief reinstated.

Did Musharraf have any other option but to force-land in Pakistan? The whole case and propaganda about hijacking is mala fide and out of vengeance.

Despite all this, Musharraf listened to his foreign friends and interlocutors and allowed Nawaz Sharif to leave the country.

A media campaign and a movement by lawyers against Musharraf in 2008 encouraged Nawaz Sharif to return to the country. He had initially said that there was no agreement with Musharraf at all.

He later said there was an agreement only for five years and later conceded that it was an agreement for 10 years. Every time he gave the wrong statements and even embarrassed two foreign allies which were guarantors on his behalf.

BRIG (r) MAZHAR QAZILBASH     Karachi