August 14, 2008	Thursday	Sha'aban 11, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 13: Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan says the impeachment will certify that Pervez Musharraf was a constitutional and lawful president.

“The ruling coalition's bid to impeach Musharraf will establish the legitimacy of an unconstitutional president, the main reason behind Musharraf’s assault on the judiciary,” Mr Khan told a press conference here on Wednesday after returning from the United States.

He said why the government avoided the easy way to oust Musharraf through restoring the pre-emergency judiciary and letting it decide his qualification to contest presidential polls and try him under article 6. He alleged the impeachment aimed at putting on back burner the judges' restoration. He said the issue should have been settled a long ago and the incumbent economic slump was a direct outcome of the inaction as well as the backlash of the war on terror.

Through the judges appointed under No 3 Provisional Constitution Order, the coalition, he said, had provided a chance to the president to fail the impeachment.

He called Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson Asif Zardari a hostage to the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), adding that Mr Zardari was protecting Musharraf.

He stressed across-the-board accountability, including that of Musharraf and Mr Zardari, saying the PPP leader had about 60 million euros amassed in Swiss banks. He demanded that Mr Zardari disclose his means of income.

He criticised Pakistan Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif for backing out on judges' issue, saying the party delayed the reinstatement.

Mr Khan said parliament should take immediate and result-oriented action to get back Dr Aafia Siddiqui from American custody. He also demanded that secret agencies involved in selling out Dr Siddiqui along with her three children to the US should be brought to justice.

He was also critical of the government for giving a free hand to the military in the war on terror. He condemned bombing of the tribal areas, saying no country in the world bombed its own citizens. He said in India at least 10 insurgency movements were being waged but the security forces never bombarded any area.

He demanded dialogue with the warring elements in the tribal areas, citing a research report that 92 per cent success in the warring world had been achieved through talks.

About his litigation against MQM chief Altaf Husain in London, Mr Khan alleged the incumbent government was also denying permission to the Scotland Yard to investigate Pakistani witnesses in the case.

He said that the youth wing of the PTI would display a massive show in Islamabad on Independence Day (today).

Vice-president Ejaz Chaudhry, Punjab president Ahsan Rasheed and central information secretary Omar Cheema were present.