Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Captain (Retd) Safdar defended former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's decision to appoint General Pervez Musharraf (late) as army chief.
In a candid interview on Samaa TV's program "Samaa Debate," Safdar stressed that while the appointment was justified, Musharraf’s actions in violating the constitution were inexcusable.
Reflecting on the political landscape of the late 1990s, Safdar disclosed that Musharraf repeatedly offered political deals to Nawaz Sharif in exchange for pardoning his constitutional breach.
"Nawaz Sharif always maintained that he did not want to return to power by 'jumping over the wall'," Safdar remarked, underlining Sharif's commitment to legal and constitutional processes.
He added that Musharraf persistently sought clemency, even leveraging recommendations from military leaders like Raheel Sharif, who advised leniency towards the former president.
On the contentious issue of extensions for military chiefs, Mr Safdar shared his views on General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension.
He noted that Nawaz Sharif had no intention of extending Bajwa’s tenure, attributing the decision to party influences during Sharif’s exile.
“Nawaz Sharif did not want to give an extension, and that is why several members of our party did not vote in favor,” Safdar explained.
He mentioned that Raheel Sharif had also hinted at resolving the Panama case in exchange for an extension, a proposition Nawaz Sharif did not entertain.
