ISLAMABAD, April 14: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on Monday launched a scathing attack on the military rulers of the country, including Gen Ziaul Haq, saying that “army generals criminally disfigured the national Constitution only to prolong their rule.”

In a policy statement, released by Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, the PML (N) said it was of considered opinion that whenever an army general grabbed power by dislodging a legitimate civilian government, Pakistan suffered a great deal.

PML (N), considered a direct beneficiary of Gen Ziaul Haq’s military rule, said: “Gen Zia ignored the national supreme interests during his rule and let India occupy Siachen Glacier.”

It further said that Gen Zia served US policies in the region and fought its proxy war against former USSR in Afghanistan. As a result, Gen Zia earned hostility of the USSR that later strengthened its economic and defence relations with India, forcing Pakistan into international isolation.

Gen Ayub Khan, Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Ziaul Haq and Gen Musharraf dislodged civilian governments, trampled the Constitution and issued presidential orders and incorporated the same in the Constitution in a bid to prolong and “legitimize” their unconstitutional rule, the PML (N) said.

It said the country suffered dismemberment with the fall of Dhaka in 1971 due to the political shortsightedness of Gen Yahya Khan.

About Gen Pervez Musharraf, the PML(N) said he unilaterally withdrew the armed forces from forward positions on October 17, 1999, and then compromised national honour and dignity by begging India for talks.