PML-N hits out at president

Published October 13, 2003

LAHORE, Oct 12: The PML-N released on Sunday a charge sheet against Gen Pervez Musharraf on the fourth anniversary of its ouster from power.

Gen Musharraf had ousted the PML-N government on Oct 12, 1999.

Titled ‘101 reasons why Musharraf government should go,’ the charge sheet was released by party’s chief coordinator Ahsan Iqbal at a press conference here.

Allegations of subverting the Constitution by ousting an elected government; making the basic law controversial through amendments while bypassing parliament; denying judges oath under the Constitution and pursuing a policy of winning loyalties of judges through all means have been included in the charge sheet.

Occupying the office of the president through ‘unconstitutional’ referendum, rigging in polls, horse-trading in government formation and failure to address a joint session of parliament, as required under the Constitution, also figure in the charge sheet.

The government’s failure on economic front like writing off loans worth Rs30 billion, increasing cost of mega development projects (initiated by the PML-N government) by delaying them, decline in foreign direct investment, growth in defaulted loans and cutting education budget from 2.4 per cent to 1.7 per cent of the GDP have also been enlisted.

On diplomatic and national security front, Gen Musharraf’s government has also failed. The western borders of the country are now less secure than in the past, the South Asia peace process started in Lahore has been derailed, and for the first time foreign troops and agencies are roaming about in the country.

Gen Musharraf also failed to introduce good governance as promised by him in his first address to the nation. Almost the entire PML-N government’s cabinet ousted on corruption charges has been imposed on the country after the Oct 2002 elections.

The charge sheet also points out partial accountability by the NAB and government’s failure in maintaining law and order.

Ahsan Iqbal said the four-year rule of Gen Musharraf had led the nation to unprecedented crises of hope, institution, poverty, security, Constitution, parliament, sovereignty, solidarity, good governance and uncertainty.

He said the serious domestic and external challenges being faced by the country demanded that all institutions of the state should perform their duties within their respective charters under the Constitution.

Punjab general secretary Khwaja Saad Rafiq alleged that Gen Musharraf’s policies were also endangering ideological borders of the country. He said the Islamic ideology, which has been the binding force among the four provinces, was continuously being attacked.

He said these policies were also hurting the Kashmir freedom movement and causing a grouping in the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC).

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

THE FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth ...
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...