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PML chief sees India's hand behind protests

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: President of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhary Shujat Hussain has thrown his weight behind the allegations that a purported campaign to malign the armed forces in the anti-government protests was being carried out at the behest of India.

Khabrein, an Urdu daily and its sister publication in English, The Post, have run reports over the last three days quoting unnamed intelligence sources alleging an "enemy neighbour's hand" in a "plot" to tarnish the image of the Pakistan armed forces.

On Sunday, in an interview to the same newspapers, Mr. Hussain, who was the Prime Minister before Shaukat Aziz, said those involved in the plot were "agents of RAW" and "should be treated as traitors".

The Hindu tried to contact Mr. Hussain to verify the contents of the report but could not reach him.

"The judiciary and the Army are two important pillars of the state and any attempt to create misunderstandings between the two is a ploy to destabilise the country."

Lawyer under scanner

The same newspapers carried a report on Saturday quoting unnamed sources that Rs. 160 million was transferred through the hawala system from a "neighbouring country" in two instalments for the alleged anti-army campaign.

Investigators had collected evidence of the transfers and would soon "pinpoint the persons who had directly or indirectly benefited" from the money. Under the scanner, the report said, were "main players" in the judicial crisis, "including a lawyer who had travelled to India and other countries during the whole episode". Mr. Hussain's statements came as chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhary took another swipe at the Musharraf regime at a speech to lawyers in Abbotabad in the North-West Frontier Province.

Mr. Chaudhary, who reached the town, 118 km from the capital, after a marathon 14-hour journey, and managed to deliver his speech to the Abbotabad Bar Association only in the early hours of Sunday, made a strong defence of individual rights and freedoms.

According to media reports, he said the Government could not prevent the freedom of expression, the freedom of association and the freedom to gather, which were fundamental rights granted by the Constitution, and it was the duty of the judiciary to ensure their implementation.

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