SUKKUR: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah has said he has doubts over ‘action’ being taken only against Pervez Musharraf on the charge of treason and he sees an underhand deal between the government and the former dictator.

Under that deal, Musharraf’s health would go from bad to worse over the coming days and he would perhaps have another heart stroke after which he would be sent abroad through an air ambulance, he said.

Talking to journalists after attending a wedding of 12 couples organised by the PPP’s women wing here on Monday, Mr Shah said what strengthened his doubts was the government’s insistence on trying only Musharraf for Nov 3 emergency and not for his action to impose military rule on Oct 12 after ousting an elected government.

He said the government was deliberately avoiding Oct 12 to save many army officers and judges who executed and legitimised the military rule.

He accused the judiciary of putting up this show trial so that it could save itself from the consequences of Oct 12’s unconstitutional steps. When a dictator disgraced the constitution, former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry validated his action by allowing him to remain at the helm for three years and amend the constitution, he said.

It was the reason the Oct 12 action was ignored and only one person was put on trial for his Nov 3 steps.

The world would not appreciate it, he said, adding the government therefore was required to send a reference about Oct 12 action to the judiciary, he said.

Mr Shah said that he did not say it was an injustice to Musharraf but he did say it was a disservice to the country to punish one individual for a collective crime.

He said that now he suspected there might be some sort of deal between the government and Musharraf under which he fell ill and now his condition would go from bad to worse. He would perhaps have another cardiac arrest after which he would be sent abroad though an air ambulance, he said.

About the army’s position with regard to the trial, Mr Shah said that as a saying went silence stood for half-willingness. People should understand themselves when someone was silent it showed his half-willingness, he said.

He said in answer to a question about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain’s outburst about division of Sindh, that Altaf Hussain was like a king who could say whatever he wished at any time.

He reiterated that division of Sindh was impossible because Sindh was like a mother to them. Altaf Hussain had also said Sindh was his motherland and thereby admitted that no son would like to divide his mother. The MQM should settle its issues through political channels, he advised.

Earlier, Mr Shah congratulated newlywed couples who tied the knot at the wedding function and distributed gifts among them.