Govt, not CJ, should proceed against Musharraf, says JI
HYDERABAD, Sept 15 Jamaat-i-Islami secretary-general Liaquat Baloch has termed the statement of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani that if General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf returns to Pakistan, he will be welcomed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan irresponsible.
It was the responsibility of the government to proceed against Musharraf under article-6 of the constitution, said Mr Baloch while addressing an Eid Milan party arranged by his party for the flood-affected people here on Tuesday night.
He said Musharraf was guilty of the murders of innocent students in Lal Masjid and teachers of Jamia Hafsa. He alleged that just for few dollars, Musharraf had sold out Dr Aafia Siddiqui and other Pakistanis to America and patronised extortionists and murderers.
The government should, therefore, itself lodge cases against Musharraf for these heinous crimes, Mr Baloch demanded.
He accused the present government of following the policies of Musharraf regime and said that the drone attacks in the tribal areas were being made with the consent of the government.
He said while the US was killing Muslims in Pakistan, India was murdering the Muslims in occupied Kashmir.
Referring to a statement of Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain, inviting 'patriotic generals to take action against corrupt politicians,' the JI leader said to invite the generals was tantamount to curbing the freedom of press and judiciary.
He said that his party would never support any change of government through unconstitutional means. He, however, warned the government that if it did not mend its ways, people would take revenge through power of their votes.
Only those people were talking about bloody revolution who had failed to resolve the problems of the masses despite being part of the government, Mr Baloch said.
He urged the government to implement the decisions of the judiciary and ensure the supremacy of the constitution, law and parliament.
He said that the present government had lost its image on international level and demanded appointment of a national commission for rehabilitation of the flood-affected people. He accused the feudal elements of breaching embankments just to save their own agricultural lands.
The JI would soon publish a white paper against these waderas and jagirdars and others who had misappropriated relief funds, Mr Baloch said.
He also visited a medical camp set-up by Al-Khidmat, social welfare wing of the JI, at a local college and an education camp organised by Islami Jamiat Talaba, the student wing of the party.