Musharraf defends policies, says ready to go jail

Former President, Pervez Musharraf, facing high treason charges for imposing emergency role in 2007, Monday said he will defend himself in courts and even ready to go to jail.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Pervez Musharraf, defended his policies in 1999-2008, and said he had done nothing wrong.

He announced election manifesto of his All Pakistan Muslim League party and said that country’s geo-strategic location will be exploited which he thinks is a plus point for Pakistan. He said his party will focus on improving country’s relations with its neighbors‚ Muslim Ummah and West.

Musharraf said there is a great need to rid the country of terrorism and extremism, adding the general public is under the siege of disappointment and there is need to take measures to end this dilemma.

He said actual threat to the country is internal in terms of terrorism and religious intolerance and all such elements who will challenge the writ of the state‚ should be dealt with iron fist.

Talking about the economy of the country‚ Pervez Musharraf said his party will never allow the growth rate to fall below 6 percent and will curtail the governmental expenditures. He said debt to GDP ratio will be maintained at 60 percent and he will reduce the burden of taxes from the poor people‚ however‚ tax net will be broadened.

Expressing his reservations about Afghanistan‚ Musharraf said there must not be any external influence on the future of Afghan people. He said after 2014 withdrawal of US forces‚ there will be turmoil in Afghanistan‚ and such circumstances will have a direct impact on Pakistan. He said, “We will have to formulate an effective strategy to confront the aftermaths of US withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

Talking about the energy crisis‚ Pervez Musharraf said new water reservoirs needed to be constructed‚ but with consensus. He said he will focus on electricity production through hydel‚ coal and nuclear energy mega-projects.

He was announcing the party manifesto at a news conference in Islamabad on Monday afternoon.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=39911

Posted by Tahir Khan on Apr 15 2013. 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.