LAHORE, Nov 6: The Awami National Party has said it is time for Gen Pervez Musharraf to shed his uniform, as opposition to him is being considered as opposition to the institution of army.

“(Gen) Musharraf is the ruler, whether legal or illegal, and people have the right to speak against their ruler if they dislike his policies.”

“But as Musharraf is also wearing the cap of COAS, talking against him is being wrongly taken as opposition to army,” ANP secretary-general Ehsan Wyne said, urging the general to shed his uniform to prevent disrepute to his institution.

Talking to a group of reporters here on Thursday, Mr Wyne criticized the arrest of ARD President Javed Hashmi on high treason charges.

Declaring “secret trial” of Mr Hashmi as unfair, he said a first class magistrate was empowered to hear all the charges mentioned in the FIR against him. He said such treason cases had always been instituted against famous leaders by dictators.

All the cases instituted so far in this context had been illegal, as not a single democratic leader had ever rebelled against the state, he said, and added that the dictators had been labelling democratic struggle against them as treason only to prolong their rule.