By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : The new government in Pakistan should review the causes for the Kargil war, including President Pervez Musharraf’s role, and fix responsibility for the conflict with India, former premier Nawaz Sharif has said.
The Charter of Democracy signed by the Pakistan People’s Party and the PML-N nearly two years ago committed both parties to setting up a commission to review the Kargil conflict, Sharif, whose party has decided top support a PPP-led coalition government, said.
The document also committed the parties to abolishing the National Security Council, making the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency accountable to the civilian government and getting all army officers to declare their assets annually, the PML (N) chief said.
“We stand by the Charter. We think it’s an excellent document (and) it must be implemented in letter and spirit. And I have all the intentions to do that,” Sharif told interviewer Karan Thapar on the “Devil’s Advocate” programme.
“The PPP is committed to that because it bears the signature of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.”
Asked if he was still committed to the setting up of a commission to look into the causes of Kargil and to fix responsibility, Sharif replied, “Yes.”
Sharif, whose PML(N) emerged as the second largest party after PPP in the Feb 18 polls, also said the charter continued to be binding despite slain former premier Bhutto’s talks on a possible power-sharing arrangement with Musharraf.
Sharif has for long contested Musharraf’s contention that he was aware about and had backed the plan to take over strategic heights in the Kargil sector of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir in 1999, while he was the prime minister.