LONDON, Jan 30: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday lashed out at the domestic and foreign policies of President Pervez Musharraf. Addressing a gathering of about 1,000 party workers after reaching Slough from the Heathrow airport, Mr Sharif accused President Musharraf of staging the coup in October 1999 for personal reasons and vowed to bring violators of the constitution to justice.

It was the former prime minister’s first political speech after being exiled in December 2000.

He said he was innocent and he wanted to know why his government was dismissed.

He criticized those of his former colleagues who were now members of the cabinet.

“The government has failed to deliver on its seven-point agenda,” he said, referring to President Musharraf’s announcements of 1999.

The former PM said the government had failed on its promises of creating provincial harmony and Balochistan, the NWFP, Sindh and Punjab were facing internal strife.

He said those who violated the constitution would be punished and the constitution would be restored as it stood on Oct 12, 1999.

He said the Legal Framework Order and the 17th Amendment to the constitution were illegal.

He told party workers that it was time to launch a campaign against the government and said he was willing to work with anyone taking the reigns of a new government in Pakistan.

Naming party leaders individually, including Shahbaz Sharif, Ghaus Ali Shah, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and others, Mr Sharif said the government was bent upon victimizing PML-N workers and leaders.

Mr Sharif, while recollecting the steps he had taken as prime minister to make Pakistan a declared nuclear power in 1998, said Gen Musharraf had done harm to the country’s image.