Gen (r) Zaheer Abbasi forms political party in Pakistan

Gen (r) Zaheer Abbasi forms political party
Daily Times, September 3, 2007

KARACHI: A retired army man has announced that he is forming a new political party - ‘Tehreek Azmat-e-Islam’ - that would prioritize education, health, accommodation, legal and financial aid and work against vulgarity.

Major Gen. (retd) Zaheer-ul-Islam Abbasi was critical of President Musharraf, who he said was using the army for his personal interest and this will have a negative impact on the country’s integrity. He declared this during a press conference held Sunday at the Karachi Press Club.

“I was a part of the army and understand the military’s mentality very well,” he said. “These people will not sustain the present situation further.” Abbasi felt that the army was busy killing its fellow citizens.

He said that people were divided into different sects and there was a conspiracy to push the nation and the army towards civil war. He claimed that 4.5 million families were homeless in the country. Millions lack sufficient medical and education facilities.

Politicians, civil and military bureaucracy were responsible for exploiting the nation since Independence. “The present situation of the country is like General Yahya’s era and I fear that the situation is moving towards that of 1971.”

General Musharraf must remember that the operation in the Northern Areas could be dangerous for the army and the whole nation, he said. “Our rulers should not be used by foreign forces.” staff report