With the Pakistan Supreme Court set to take up the twin petition against the deportation of Nawaz Sharif, President Pervez Musharraf has said everything was done by the government according to the law, but claimed he had no role in sending the deposed Premier to Saudi Arabia.
After Sharif, the PML-N leader, was sent to Jeddha within hours of his arrival on Monday following a seven-year exile, Musharraf said the former Premier was morally bound to stay out of the country by the virtue of his deal with Riyadh before going on exile in 2000, 'DawnNews' TV reported.
Defending the government's decision to deport Sharif, Musharraf said at a meeting on Monday that everything was done according to the law and all legal formalities were fulfilled, the report said.
Referring to the agitation by Sharif's supporters, he said no body would be allowed to take law into their hands and stressed that the government would do all it could to maintain law and order in the country.
Apparently considering the legal implications arising out of the contempt petitions filed by Sharif's family in the Supreme Court, which had allowed the deposed Premier to return home in a landmark verdict last month, Musharraf's office, claimed that the President had no role in the deportation.
{{/usCountry}}Apparently considering the legal implications arising out of the contempt petitions filed by Sharif's family in the Supreme Court, which had allowed the deposed Premier to return home in a landmark verdict last month, Musharraf's office, claimed that the President had no role in the deportation.
{{/usCountry}}The President played no role in Sharif's deportation, Musharraf's spokesman Maj-Gen (Retd) Rashid Qureshi said.
"Put this question to the government. The Presidency has nothing to do with it," he was quoted by 'The News' daily as saying. Qureshi was reluctant to speak more on the issue.
Another senior official, who deals with the media, was annoyed by queries about the Presidency's involvement.
When asked who decided to deport Sharif, the unnamed official at the Presidency said "Ask the government," the daily reported.