The southern state of Kerala finds itself amidst a fresh controversy. A tribute was planned for former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf at a local event. Musharraf's name appeared on a list of individuals to be honored.
On Saturday, a state conference was held by the Bank of India Staff Union in Alappuzha, Kerala. This event was set to pay homage to various notable figures from around the world, and Musharraf's name inadvertently appeared on this list, sparking widespread debate.
Following the outcry, the union clarified that Musharraf's name was mistakenly printed and rectified the error immediately. Consequently, Musharraf's name was not mentioned during the event.
The conference inauguration was supposed to be led by Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, who chose not to attend. In protest of Musharraf’s inclusion, the BJP conducted a march to the venue in Alappuzha.
This incident surfaced just a day after the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. It was Musharraf who ordered the Pakistani army to infiltrate Kargil, leading to conflict with India.
Who was Pervez Musharraf?
Pervez Musharraf served as Pakistan's President and Army Chief. During the 1999 Kargil War, he was the Chief of Pakistan’s Army. Following Pakistan’s defeat, Musharraf overthrew Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government in a coup. On October 12, 1999, he became President of Pakistan, holding the position until August 2008.
Musharraf's name emerged in connection with two political assassinations. The first involved former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and the second was Baloch leader Akbar Bugti. In 2013, Musharraf was arrested in connection with Bugti’s murder. Bhutto was assassinated during a rally on December 27, 2008, a charge Musharraf also faced.
In a March 2007 television interview, Musharraf expressed his desire to remain President for another five years, despite growing opposition. Legal challenges were filed in the Supreme Court to prevent him from contesting the presidential election.
On September 8, 2007, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Musharraf contesting the election. However, opposition persisted, prompting Musharraf to declare a state of emergency in Pakistan on November 3, 2007. He suspended the constitution and dismissed the chief justice. A month later, on December 15, 2007, the emergency was lifted. In February 2008, general elections were held in Pakistan. The new government began impeachment proceedings against Musharraf, who resigned on August 18, 2008.
In the 2013 general elections, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regained power, with Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister. His government charged Musharraf with treason for constitutional violations. Charges were filed in December 2013, making Musharraf an accused on March 31, 2014. On March 18, 2016, Musharraf traveled to Dubai for medical treatment and did not return, although proceedings continued. Musharraf passed away on February 5, last year.
