LONDON, Dec 14: A seemingly bitter and perhaps even desperate Nawaz Sharif on Thursday castigated Pakistan Army generals in the harshest ever terms, accusing them of destroying their institution by using it to promote their political ambitions.

He even went to the extent of comparing the Pakistani Army with its arch rival the Indian Army and declared that the latter was much superior in professionalism to the former.

He said the Indian Army did not harm Pakistan as much as the Pakistani generals, “and that is why we have to continuously face the ignominy of being called a failed state”.

He was speaking at the PML-N election strategy meeting at the party’s international secretariat here today.

According to a statement issued by the secretariat, the PML-N chief, comparing the armies of India and Pakistan, said while the Indian army and its intelligence arms remained focused on defending their country, the Pakistani army was undermining its professionalism by wasting its time and energy playing political games.

Mr Sharif said India proudly claimed to be the ‘world’s largest democracy’ and the world accepted it as such because it certainly was a functioning democracy whereas in Pakistan, it was a one-man show “and nobody knows where this gentleman is taking our country”.

He said in Pakistan one individual has taken upon himself to offer all kinds of options on Kashmir without consulting parliament or any political party whereas in India the entire parliament is briefed and consulted on the subject all the time.

Mr Sharif said that the generals had used the Pak army in the province of NWFP for killing innocent people at the behest of US President Bush and asked “Where is Pakistan’s interest in this?”

He said Musharraf has been carrying out the commands and orders of President Bush without any regard to national interests and “the tragedies of Bajaur and Dargai had become wounds on the national conscience and would not heal quickly.” Those who attended the meeting included Saranjam Khan, senior vice-president PML-N, Pir Sabir Shah, president PML-N NWFP, Sher Azam, Haji Afzal, Inamullah Khan, Haji M Rahim, Qavi Khan, Murtaza Abbasi, Esal Khan, Nawab Khan, Inayatullah Jadoon and Mumtaz Abbasi.

In a related development, MMA leader and chief of the Jamaat Ahle Hadees Senator Prof Sajid Mir called on the PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif here on Thursday.