MANSEHRA/ABBOTTABAD: Rallies were taken out in Mansehra and Abbottabad areas on Monday against the conviction of former military ruler retired General Pervez Musharraf in a high treason case.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf demonstrated in Ghazikot area of Mansehra district and blocked the Karakoram Highway for around an hour with the participants expressing solidarity with Musharraf against the special court’s verdict.

The demonstrators held banners and placards and shouted slogans for the Pakistan Army and Musharraf.

“We stand with our armed forces and Pervez Musharraf. He (Musharraf) is a hero of Kargil war with India and can never be a traitor,” PTI leader and local MPA Babar Saleem Swati’s nephew Kamal Khan Swati told protesters.

He said the residents of Mansehra wanted the Supreme Court to strike down the Musharraf case verdict.

Rallies staged in Abbottabad, Mansehra for ex-military ruler

Former naib nazim Gulfaraz Qureshi said more and more rallies were being staged in favour of Musharraf showing the people’s immense support for him.

The people travelling between Mansehra and Abbottabad and other parts of country remained stranded on the KKH during the protest.

Meanwhile, a rally was staged in Mandian, Sikandarabad and Main Sadar Bazaar area of Abbottabad city against the conviction of Musharraf in high treason case.

The participants shouted slogans in favour of Musharraf and the Pakistan Army.

They blocked the Karakorum Highway for half an hour.

The speakers, including civil society activists Nasrullaha Khan and Samsam Bukhari and local MQM leaders, rejected the special court’s decision against Musharraf and said an army chief couldn’t be a traitor.

They said the people couldn’t stand the judicial murder of Musharraf, who held key civilian and military positions and fought wars for the country.

The speakers asked the Supreme Court to dispense justice to the former military ruler.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2019