Islamabad, September 30: Former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf has said that he allowed late slain former premier Benazir Bhutto’s return to Pakistan, as no corruption charges were proved against her, a private TV channel reported on Monday.
“We had a deal under which corruption cases against Benazir and others were withdrawn under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in October 2007 because these case could not be proved in courts despite several years of court proceedings” Musharraf told Pakistan journalists in Virginia (US) where he is currently on a speaking tour.
Bhutto facilitated Musharraf’s election a day after promulgation of the NRO by breaking away from the rest of the opposition that resigned from the assemblies to deny Musharraf’s election credibility and legitimacy. Law makers of her Pakistan People’s Party abstained from voting. Musharraf said Bhutto returned to Pakistan on October 18, 2007, ignoring his advice that she ran the risk of threats to her life from terrorists. He said Sharif brothers tried to pressurise the government at the time through Saudi Arabia to facilitate their return to Pakistan.
He, however, denied that he struck any deal with President Asif Zardari for a safe exit on promise of immunity against any prosecution including a treason case. He said he is not criticizing the Zardari government because he was busy trying to improve Pakistan’s image internationally.
Musharraf said it was his constitutional responsibility to send a reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
He said he had planned to hold elections in 2007, but could not do so due to the judicial crisis.
Musharraf further said the people general supported the measures taken during his tenure in office.
–Agencies