ISLAMABAD, 4 June 2008 — Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said yesterday that then Chief of Army Staff Gen. Pervez Musharraf misled his government before launching the “Kargil Operation” in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Sharif was commenting on a TV interview of former 10 Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Jamshed Gulzar Kayani who had alleged that Musharraf had kept his Kargil Operation a secret even from his senior commanders. Only a few officers — Kayani himself, Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Ahmad, Gen. Aziz Khan and former Force Commander Northern Areas Lt. Gen. Javed Hasan — had the knowledge of various aspects of the Kargil Operation.

While talking to reporters in Lahore, Sharif branded the Kargil Operation as a misadventure of Musharraf that brought two nuclear-armed South Asian nations on the brink of a full-scale war.

Sharif said: “When India retaliated to get certain hills which the Pakistan Army had captured during the winter of 1998-1999, there were confirmed reports that India planned major offensives at Bhimber, Sialkot and Reti in Rahim Yar Khan.”

“At that stage Musharraf almost begged me to work out a peace formula with the help of former US President Bill Clinton. On July 4, which is a holiday, I met President Clinton in Washington D.C. and sought his good offices to prevent India from launching its major offensive against Pakistan.”

Sharif also called Musharraf’s strategy strange. “He never informed chief of air and naval staff about the operation. When India started pounding Pakistan’s posts in Kargil with its air force, our air chief was taken by surprise.”

Sharif, who heads Pakistan Muslim League (N), has demanded that Musharraf be tried for treason for his Nov. 3 action, the Kargil adventure and Jamia Hafsa carnage. Sharif said Lt. Gen Kayani’s interview with Geo News vindicated his stand that he was not informed about the Kargil Operation.

He said Musharraf made false accusations against him in his book. Sharif said time has proved that Kargil was a misadventure but he (Sharif) left no stone unturned to protect national prestige. He said he had demanded constitution of a commission to investigate the issue.

About Pakistan People’s Party’s constitutional package, he said his party opinion about it would be communicated to PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari.

He dispelled the impression that his party and Mohajir Qaumi Movement were in contact.

In the Geo TV interview, Lt Gen Kayani stressed the need for making an example of President Musharraf to block the emergence of future dictators in the country.

Talking to Shahid Masood in the Meray Mutabiq program, he said Gen. Musharraf had committed such vital mistakes as launching the Kargil Operation, surrendering to the US threat of pushing Pakistan into the Stone Age and destroying the Lal Masjid in Islamabad.

He said no power could withstand pressure from people power. Kayani said he had seen the period of Ayub Khan, who could not face the wrath of the people. When asked whether the army was with Musharraf, he said the army officers and soldiers would never say anything about it and such things were never discussed in the army.

He ruled out the imposition of martial law, saying the president could not use Article 58-2(b).

Kayani said the president should not have given in to the US threat in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy. He said the Pakistan Army was the best professional army in the world. He said Musharraf had options at that time and he should have held a referendum to ascertain the will of the people.