Pervez Musharraf seconds Gen. Pasha’s extension

Former president and military dictator Pervez Musharraf offered his support to DG Inter-Services Intelligence Lt. Gen. Shuja Ahmed Pasha for another extension, refusing to offer any insights into the situation surrounding the situation of General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani.

The former dictator exhibited calmness just days after a request for the Red Warrant for his arrest was filed with the Interpol. Speaking to a private TV channel, he refused to comment over the deal that led Gen. Kayani’s promotion as the military chief.

About third term extension for Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, he initially desisted, but then said he would have given him an extension.

He observed, “I do not want to comment. I want to say that he (DG ISI) is an able and intelligent officer, a straight talker and a person with a very upright character, is a good officer and a good man”.

Commenting about the failures of the ISI and the army during Pasha’s tenure, including Mumbai, Mehran base, GHQ attack, the former dictator brushed aside these allegations saying performance cannot be judged on the basis of one or two lapses.

He defended Pasha saying that the ISI uncovered more than 90 per cent of the attacks, and acted very quickly, but no one talked about that. Its performance as excellent organization is commendable, he added.

He, however, confessed that Abbottabad Raid was a big failure, but continued to defend Pasha saying you could not hold the officer to account on a single lapse.

Musharraf said that as the then president, he was not into the small details about the security of Benazir Bhutto. But he clarified that he could be held responsible if she should not be provided security she was entitled.

The former president informed that he had a telephonic conversation with Benazir after receiving intelligence report from a foreign agency about the suspected suicide bombers.

However, he refused any formal mediation between Benazir and him, saying the Americans made it evident that they liked Musharraf to continue as President and Benazir as prime minister in the future.

Conversely, Musharraf did not comment about his red warrants to which Pakistan requested Interpol for.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=15151

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Mar 9 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.