Musharraf wanted underhand deal in 2007: Sharif

Islamabad March 22 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that former military ruler Pervez Musharraf offered him an underhand deal to form a joint government but he turned it down.

Addressing the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentary committee on Tuesday Sharif said: Musharraf wanted a secret deal with me in 2007 but I declined.

Musharraf was the then Pakistan President and Sharif had just returned from exile.

The Dawn on Wednesday quoted Sharif as saying that he didn t believe in making clandestine deals with people who had ruined people s aspirations.

He said his family did not want to leave Pakistan after the Musharraf-led military coup but was forced to go into exile by the military dictator.

We left the country in a miserable condition and were not allowed to return for a long time he said.

The Prime Minister noted that Musharraf a former Pakistan Army chief was now facing a similar fate and had left the country in disgrace.

Now Musharraf is willing to return to the country but he cannot... it s divine retribution for his actions Sharif said.

Sharif was toppled by Musharraf in a 1999 coup after which Sharif and his family went to live in Saudi Arabia.

However Sharif s assertions were disputed by former Musharraf aide and All Pakistan Muslim League member Ahmed Raza Kasuri the Dawn reported.

I have been working with Gen. Musharraf for a long time and I have never heard any such thing he said.

--IANS
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