By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : A leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Tuesday compared President Pervez Musharraf to a “dangerous virus” that was harmful for Pakistan’s democracy and said it was important to remove him.
“Just like a deadly virus in any computer that can destroy the whole system, Musharraf is a dangerous virus for democracy and the government cannot function properly until this virus is removed,” PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said while addressing a press conference with other party leaders who resigned Tuesday from the federal cabinet.
The PML-N leaders were addressing the media to explain their position after they resigned over the controversy of restoration of judges who were sacked by President Musharraf Nov 3 last year.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, a PML-N minister to resign, said they had learnt that their resignations have not been accepted. “We have nothing to do with acceptance or rejection of our resignations, we have resigned and will not return to the cabinet until any decision on restoration of judges,” Khan told media persons.
He said the presidency was “playing a dirty role in exploiting the situation and let me make clear that until Musharraf is there no coalition or government can work.”
Explaining the PML-N talks with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Asif Ali Zardari in Dubai and London, Khan said the talks were first held in Dubai as Zardari was there to attend to his younger daughter Asifa who is suffering from “serious skin disease”.
He said PML-N chief Sharif had to go to London where his wife Begum Kulsoom underwent a “serious” surgery on her knee. He said: “Let me tell you not a single government penny was spent on these talks, rather both the parties paid for their expenses.”
He said that due to the seriousness of the judges issue it was important not to delay the talks and “we had no other option but to hold these talks in Dubai and London”.