NEW YORK: Former chief of the army staff Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf has accused PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif of having amassed over $1 billion in ill-gotten wealth. The money stashed in bank accounts in London is looked after by his son.

Addressing a gathering of Pakistanis at a New Jersey hotel, he asserted that if he returns to power he would try the Sharifs in court of law.

When asked by a person in the audience why had he been keeping quiet about the alleged corruption of President Asif Ali Zardari who also bilked the country of billion of dollars, the former COAS noted: “The PPP government was under fire and I do not want to put more pressure on it.”

The former army chief who ousted Mr Sharif in a coup in 1999 observed that “Nawaz Sharif will never be allowed to assume seat of power in Pakistan after his confrontation with the army in 1999.”

For the second time in two days he severely criticised Mr Sharif and said that after winning elections he would settle scores with him.

The former general rejected rumours about a split between his newly formed All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) and MQM. “We have no differences,” he said.

The organisers of the event kept journalists away from the retired general and did not allow them to ask any question.