Tribunal's decision has hurt Chitralis, says APML

CHITRAL, April 16: Leaders of All Pakistan Muslim league Chitral on Tuesday slammed the disqualification of Pervez Musharraf from contesting elections and said their party would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Soon after the decision of the election tribunal in Peshawar, Shahzada Khalid Pervez, the APML candidate for PK-89, reached the press club leading a procession of party activists and chanting slogans against the decision. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the tribunal’s decision was biased and had hurt the feeling of the Chitrali people. He said Pervez Musharraf had been disqualified merely on accusations as he had never been convicted in any case. There are also similar cases against the PML-N leaders, including Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, but they have been allowed to contest the elections. The verdict against Musharraf is a conspiracy to keep him out of the political process. Khalid Pervez said the people of Chitral should demonstrate patience till the outcome of the appeal they were going to file with the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The APML leader said Musharraf was the biggest benefactor of Chitral but some opportunist elements instead of returning the gratitude were now spreading propaganda against Musharraf and were celebrating his ouster form the elections for their own vested interests. He said this was an open insult with the traditions of Chitral and the Chitrali people would never tolerate it. He also said the party would decide its future line of action at a meeting soon. Advocate Waqas, who had pleaded the case of Musharraf in front of the returning officer in Chitral, said he totally differed with the decision of the election tribunal. He said Musharraf had not been convicted in any case. There are similar cases against Nawaz Sharif and his brother who had attacked the judiciary in 1997 but they have been allowed to contest the lections. Besides, in the Meran Bank scam case, Nawaz Sharif is also an accused.–Waqar Ahmed  ]]>