Imposed Nov 3 emergency on Shaukat Aziz’s advice: Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Mushararf says he imposed the November 3, 2007 emergency on the advice of the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Musharraf on Tuesday said he had imposed emergency on the advice of Aziz after consultation with civil and military aides and that not in his discretion.

In a statement issued through his lawyers, the former military ruler claimed; “imposition of emergency by the army chief was merely a legal understanding of Ibrahim Satti and he was not asked to submit that before the top court on behalf of his client”.

Ibrahim Satti, one of the lawyers from the legal panel of former president Pervez Musharraf, has submitted a clarification with the Supreme Court of Pakistan, backing off from his earlier contention that his client had imposed the November 2007 emergency in his personal discretion.

Satti had submitted during the proceedings of a review petition against Supreme Court’s July 31 ruling that Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency on November 3, 2007, “in his discretion” as Chief of Army Staff and not on the basis of a letter written by the then Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz.

Now, the lawyer had prayed the court to make his clarification a part of record.

Musharraf also expressed confidence in his legal team and according to the statement had had not removed any lawyer.