LAHORE: While the colleagues of Yousuf Raza Gilani have been contradicting him over his statement about giving an ‘honourable exit’ to former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf, a close aide to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif partially endorsed it, saying the PPP had asked the PML-N to give ‘safe passage’ to him (Musharraf).

“Gilani had not said that Nawaz was taken on board in giving a safe passage to Musharraf. However, the PPP had asked us to give an honourable exit to Musharraf,” said Information Minister Pervez Rashid. He, however, did not explain about the response of the PML-N to PPP’s suggestion.

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had revealed on Friday that during his government an understanding had been reached with the establishment that Mr Musharraf would be given an honourable exit if he resigned instead of going through impeachment proceedings. The PML-N was also part of talks with the establishment, he said.

Related: PPP at odds with Gilani over Musharraf’s trial

Talking to reporters here on Saturday, Mr Rashid said Mr Gilani had not said that Nawaz Sharif was taken on board to let the former dictator go.

Replying to a question whether the PPP, PML-N and the establishment had decided to let the former president go if he stepped down, the minister said: “Gilani had talked about others, but not Nawaz Sharif. If there is any such agreement, Musharraf has an opportunity to present it before the court.”

Mr Rashid said: “We have neither exiled Musharraf nor arrested him. The courts will decide his case.”

PML-Q senior leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said the PPP had fulfilled its commitment in the Musharraf issue, but the Sharifs backtracked as they were known for this.

On the other hand, senior PPP leaders Farhatullah Babar, Farooq H. Naek and Jehangir Badr have rejected Mr Gilani’s statement, saying there had been no deal regarding giving a safe passage to Mr Musharraf. They said Mr Musharraf had resigned because of the fear of impeachment.

The PPP had formed a committee to prepare an impeachment draft against Mr Musharraf. PML-N’s Ishaq Dar and Ahsan Iqbal were also part of the committee.

Interestingly, former president Asif Ali Zardari had advised Nawaz Sharif not to let Mr Musharraf go, while Mr Gilani said the PML-N’s present conduct about the former military ruler was not correct.

Also read: Musharraf resigned under deal, says Gilani

PPP Secretary General Latif Khosa told Dawn that Gen Musharraf had to resign from the office of president because of the pressure the PPP and PML-N had mounted on him for his impeachment.

“He had no other option but to resign. There is a possibility that the establishment might have spoken to Yousuf Raza Gilani and Nawaz Sharif, but there is no such deal in this respect,” said Mr Khosa, adding when Mr Musharraf left the country there was no case registered against him besides it was then acting president Mohammedmian Soomro who had accorded him (Musharraf) a red-carpet farewell.

INDEPENDENCE DAY RALLY: Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said the PML-N would hold a rally at D Chowk on Aug 14 and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan would be invited to it.

The PTI has also announced to launch a long march to be culminated at D Chowk on the Independence Day.

Mr Rashid said the PML-N was not behind Arsalan Iftikhar. “Imran had spoken against his father, former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, at PTI Bahawalpur rally. Therefore, Arsalan has decided to take Imran on,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2014