RAWALPINDI: Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Wednesday that former president Pervez Musharraf was a loyal countryman and he did not consider him a traitor.

“He (Gen Musharraf) is not a traitor. I worked with him. I and many other politicians were administered oath of offices by him. Former president Asif Ali Zardari was also administered oath by Gen Musharraf,” the minister said while talking to reporters at the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Talking about the medical treatment of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari aboard, the minister said: “If Nawaz Sharif could go abroad for medical treatment as a convicted person, then it is the right of Asif Ali Zardari to go abroad for medical treatment as an accused.”

In reply to a question about the planned Dec 27 public meeting of the PPP in Rawalpindi in connection with the martyrdom anniversary of Benazir Bhutto to be addressed by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Mr Ahmed said that the PPP chairman would be given a warm welcome in the city.

In reply to a question about extension of the chief of army staff’s tenure, he said that “we have a simple majority in the National Assembly, but the opposition will also support this legislation”.

He said the country’s economic indicators were positive and global financial institutions had acknowledged the improvement.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2019