LAHORE, June 25: Ruling PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain says the role of army in politics cannot be ended overnight and all political parties should make a realistic assessment of their position on the issue before issuing threats about taking on an institution which intervened only when ‘invited’.

“The army can throw the civilians out (of power), but civilians can’t revolt against them,” he said while talking to this correspondent at his residence on Sunday.

Chaudhry Shujaat, who held the post of prime minister for about two months before stepping aside in favour of Shaukat Aziz, said politicians must bear in mind that the army was not the name of an individual, nor should anyone assume that by sacking the army chief he would ‘conquer’ the institution.

In his opinion the role of the army in politics will end only when democratic institutions become reasonably strong.

The PML president was asked about plans being made by various opposition parties to launch what they call a decisive struggle to drive the army out of politics. He said that before making tall claims all politicians should honestly ask themselves whether the armed forces had been taking over power on their own or each time they had done so when invited by a political party to intervene.

Referring specifically to the October 12, 1999, takeover, he said the then prime minister had tried to kill Gen Musharraf after which the army was left with no option but to throw him out.

He said before criticising the army, two former prime ministers should look into their past conduct. Mian Nawaz Sharif, according to him, came into politics — and rose to top positions — only with the support of the army, and Benazir Bhutto struck ‘bargains’ with the army on various occasions.

The PML president also said he had doubts about the ability of the opposition parties to launch a movement against the government. “Movements can’t be launched while sitting abroad,” he said in an obvious reference to Mr Sharif and Ms Bhutto, heads of the two major opposition parties.

He reiterated the government position that Ms Bhutto would have to face cases on her return to Pakistan. The Sharifs, he claimed, could not come back before completing their 10 years in exile under an agreement they had reached to leave the country in December 2000.

He said it was wrong to say that the government had violated the Supreme Court order by deporting Mian Shahbaz Sharif when he had landed in Lahore in May 2004.

The apex court’s order was not clear, the PML chief said, adding that the former Punjab chief minister had been deported also because he was ‘wanted in Saudi Arabia’.

Replying to a question, Chaudhry Shujaat said the government would welcome any measure proposed by opposition parties to ensure free and fair elections. He said the government was willing to extend a formal invitation to opposition parties, represented in parliament, for talks on the subject.

About the re-election of Gen Musharraf and whether he would retain his uniform, the PML president said all decisions would be taken in accordance with the law and the Constitution. Declining to elaborate, he said anybody could move the Supreme Court to get the matter clarified.