LAHORE, Nov 11 A 'non-parliamentary' remark by Gen Pervez Musharraf (retired) against President Asif Ali Zardari, quoted by a foreign journalist, has forced the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to join the PML-N in reviving the 'forgotten' demand of former dictator's trial under high-treason charges.

Till a couple of days ago, the demand for Musharraf's trial seemed to have died its natural death after its main movers (the PML-N) stopped emphasising it, reportedly on the advice of their 'foreign friends'.Though the PPP has announced staging anti-Musharraf demonstrations across Punjab from Thursday (today), the PML-N says it will support the move but won't join the protest.

“The PPP government should better take some concrete steps to bring back the dictator from abroad and get him arrested for violation of Article 6 of the Constitution,” PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid suggested while talking to Dawn on Wednesday. He insisted Musharraf's trial was still on his party's agenda and it had never budged it.

In the past, the PPP workers and office-bearers never seriously pressed their government for trying Musharraf, but after his 'harsh comments' about Mr Zardari things have changed. Now be it a PPP worker or a leader, everyone is demanding 'legal action' against Musharraf.

PPP Punjab parliamentary leader Raja Riaz even went on to say “In fact Musharraf has invited his own destruction by maligning PPP leadership and he would have to face its consequences.”

At a news conference, he said the PPP would move a motion against Musharraf in the Punjab Assembly after consulting its allies. Raja Riaz, also the senior minister, says Musharraf after being summoned by the UN in Benazir Bhutto murder case has lost his wits and started using indecent language against President Zardari.

“Such tactics will not save the dictator, and nation will never spare him for causing irreparable damage to the country. No force can save Musharraf from his trial under Article 6 and he will be received with black flags on his return,” Riaz said.