KARACHI: PPP leader and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani revealed here on Friday that during his government an understanding had been reached with the establishment that then president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf would be given an honourable exit if he resigned, instead of going through impeachment proceedings.

Talking to journalists during a visit to PPP’s Sindh Media Cell, Mr Gilani said that talks held with the establishment had led to the understanding about Gen Musharraf’s resignation and going abroad.

He claimed that it was a big achievement and said that a person who had become president after a referendum which was also endorsed by the judiciary had agreed to resign as a result of successful negotiations.

Former premier says then army chief Gen Kayani wanted the decision about North Waziristan operation to be taken only by himself

According to Online, Mr Gilani said the PML-N was also part of the talks held with the establishment to get rid of Gen Musharraf. It had been decided to let the former president go if he stepped down, he said, adding that it wasn’t possible to ask a powerful military ruler to resign without the assistance of the establishment.

Mr Gilani said PML-N’s present conduct on the issue of Gen Musharraf was not correct because it should keep in mind the details agreed upon with the establishment. He said he did not support Gen Musharraf but was only informing the nation about the commitments made that time.

On a question relating to North Waziristan, he said his government did not take up the matter of launching an operation because then army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani wanted the decision to be taken only by himself.

Mr Gilani rejected perceptions about democracy facing threats or chances of changes in the government in near future and advised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PTI chief Imran Khan to resolve issues because politicians should always keep the doors of talks open. They should normalise their relations and work for strengthening democracy and parliament.

Answering a question, he said holding public meetings and taking out processions were constitutional rights of every party, but the PPP would not back any unconstitutional move to derail the democratic set-up. The politics of the 1990s has been rejected by the people and the PPP will not indulge in politics of confrontation.

He called for compliance with the Constitution and said the leadership in Punjab should broaden its vision, look beyond Lahore and adopt a countrywide approach.

The former premier said the government had not taken the people and political leadership of the country into confidence about talks with Taliban and the military operation in North Waziristan.

He said people did not tolerate anyone for a long period and, therefore, it would be better to reduce the tenure of a government from five years to four.

Answering a question, he said that creating a new province was not a sin and one day the people of southern Punjab would see their aspiration fulfilled. “Our (PPP) government was not able to carve out a new province for want of a two-third majority in parliament.”

About his missing son Ali Haider Gilani, he said he was not aware of his whereabouts.

On the issue of internally displaced persons, the former prime minister said they were citizens of this country and the Constitution allowed them to go anywhere they liked. All of them are not terrorists. Most of them are peace-loving patriots whose forefathers had participated in the struggle for Pakistan.

Mr Gilani said that during the Swat operation his government had made arrangements for over 2.5 million IDPs and within three months they had been resettled in their homes.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2014