KARACHI, Aug 20 A debate in the city council on Monday over the policies of former president Pervez Musharraf divided the members into two groups, one criticising the former general and the other praising him to the skies.

Eyebrows were raised when treasury members praised the policies of the former president and termed them in the best interest of the country. Opposition members, however, lashed out at him and called him as a dictator. The opposition also demanded that he should be tried and punished for 'his misdeeds.'

When the house, presided over by the city council convener and city naib nazim, Nasreen Jalil, resumed its session on Monday, Abdul Razzak of Al-Khidmat group drew the attention of the convener towards fast-changing developments in the country following the resignation of Gen (retd) Musharraf as president of the country.

He said the people of the country had welcomed the change and were jubilant over the departure of the dictator from the political scene of the country. Mr Razak further said that since all the four provincial assemblies of the country had given their verdict against the general, the city council being a representative body of this mega-city should also pass a unanimous resolution against him.

He also pointed out to the chair what he called the mysterious activities of a group, allegedly harassing small tea-stall owners and fanning ethnic feeling in the city. Describing this situation as dangerous, the Al-Khidmat leader called for taking the situation seriously before it was too late.

Taking the floor, leader of the house Asif Siddiqui categorically stated that they owned the policies of the former president as being his allies and considered them in the interest of the country.

Mr Siddiqui said recently the country had passed through a serious crisis and it ended because of the sagacity of the former president. He lauded the role of the former president, saying that it was due to the sagacious policies of the former president that the country had been saved from a grave crisis.

Mr Siddiqui's speech was welcomed by the treasury members by frequent thumping of desks. He said the policy adopted by the Haq Parast leadership had proved correct and it was acknowledged by PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari. Haq Parast panel leader Arshad Qureshi also supported the contention of Mr Siddiqui.

However, opposition leader Saeed Ghani lashed out at the regime of the former president, described his rule as the worst type of dictatorship, saying that the constitution had been trampled, the judiciary decimated while his economic policies proved the worst for the country.

Mr Ghani said suicide bombings were a gift of the Musharraf regime. He also slammed the policies of the former president regarding Balochistan and the tribal areas.

The opposition leader said that the country had been ruined politically and economically during the rule of Musharraf. He said they were not in favour of confrontational politics, but they must at least accept their past mistakes so that these could not be repeated.

Mr Ghani further submitted that the four provincial assemblies of the country had already given their verdict against the former president, adding that this house should also reciprocate the sentiments of the people.

The opposition leader suggested that the former president should be tried and punished for his anti-people measures. The opposition benches also welcomed the speech of Mr Ghani with desk thumping.

Convener Nasreen Jalil agreed with the contention of Mr Ghani that they must forget the past and think of the future. She ruled that there would be no further debate on the issue.