ISLAMABAD – Former Punjab governor and leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sardar Latif Khosa has accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) former Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of providing safe passage to General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, who is a suspect in Benazir Bhutto murder case.
Khosa, who is representing PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardar at the Lahore High Court against the verdict of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Benazir Bhutto murder case, made this claim on Wednesday while talking to reporters after attending the hearing.
Zardari has challenged the ATC verdict in which the court had acquitted five suspected terrorist of Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The ATC had also awarded sentences two police officials – former deputy inspector general Saud Aziz and senior superintendent of police Khurram Shahzad – in the case.
After being declared an absconder by different courts, the ATC has also issued perpetual warrants for Musharraf and halted proceedings against him until his arrest.
On Wednesday, a division bench LHC heard Zardari’s appeal and issued notices to the released alleged TTP suspects.
Talking to the media, Khosa expressed concerns over the ATC verdict to release the TTP suspects as there were strong evidence against them. He also criticised the court for taking 10 years to decide a case.
Accusing Musharraf of plotting the murder of slain PPP leader, he said that Nisar Ali Khan give safe exit to the former dictator at a time when his trial was about to complete.
He further said that former interior minister had tried to put the burden of Musharraf’s escape on court, whereas the courts had never directed the ministry to put his name off no-fly list.
Musharraf had left Pakistan in March 2016 after the Ministry of Interior struck his name off exit control list (ECL) following the orders of the Supreme Court.
At the time of leaving the country, he was facing several cases including BB murder, high treason and Lal Masjid cleric Ghazi Rasheed murder.
In 2013, the SC had directed the ministry to put name of Musharraf on ECL, however, the order was nullified by Sindh High Court in 2014.
The federal government challenged the high court’s decision in apex court which upheld the decision of the SHC. Later, the ministry removed Mushrraf’s name from the ECL.
