Released by PML (N) Central Information Secretary Muhammed Siddique-ul-Farooque at a news conference in Islamabad n February 16, 2005

It has been five-and-a-half years that General Pervez Musharraf usurped power in Pakistan. Entire wealth of the country, might of the armed forces, the positive as well as negative resources of secret agencies and the judiciary remain under unchallenged control of a single person. However, despite such immense powers, a long rule and tall claims, he has failed to wipe out corruption, maintain law and order, and provide good governance, justice, prosperity, employment and security to the people. Instead of getting the Kashmir issue according to UN resolutions in the interests of Pakistan and the Kashmiri people, General Musharraf has adopted the course of continuous retreat. He has launched a war against Pakistani citizens in tribal areas and Balochistan. Plunder of national resources reigns supreme. Pakistan has been burdened with the largest cabinet in its history. In fact, Pervez Musharraf is destined to fail on every front, and his personal failures are adversely affecting the reputation of the army, the air force and the navy, with the result that the nation is not only angry with him but hates him. He is perfectly aware of the situation, but is reluctant to relinquish power for fear of accountability. He has put entire country on the stake for his personal safety.

Following teachings of the vile Brahman Chanakia and the Italian professor Machiavelli, he has been engaged in mud slinging against democratic rulers during the past five-and-a-half years in order to cover up his own failings. It was again in Chanakian tradition that two days back he claimed that billions of rupees were looted between 1985 and 1999, while nothing was done for the people.

Before replying to these slanders, and exposing the worst incompetence and corruption of his five-and-a-half years rule, we want to remind the nation once more that military generals were busy in intrigues during the rule of two political leaders, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. Clever tactics of the agencies never let the political governments work. Lt. General (retired) Tanwir Naqvi, the architect of National Reconstruction Bureau, admitted the fact before the national press saying "what the army used to do clandestinely in the past is doing openly under General Pervez Musharraf." Here we present a comparison between performance of General Musharraf and that of elected political rulers.

Incompetence, Corruption and Losses
Current Education Minister and former ISI head and Railways Minister Lt. General (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi had repeatedly claimed that he made railways a profit earning enterprise and ended corruption. Pervez Musharraf also praised him in a TV address. However, current Railways Minister Mian Shamim Haider exposed Qazi's claim in a statement in National Assembly on October 14, 2004. He said that railways suffered a loss of 16.2 billion rupees during General Qazi's tenure. In addition, the Federal Government provided a subsidy of 10.4 billion rupees during 2001 and 2002. The actual loss, therefore, amounted to Rs. 26.6 billion that included corruption worth billions. The railways also suffered a loss of Rs. 14.16 billion during the tenure of another Railways Minister Ghaus Bakhsh Mehar, and government helped it with Rs. 16.1 billion. The total loss amounted to Rs. 30.26 billion that also included billions in corruption. It must be noted here that railway fares were increased by 30 percent during the period, while 90 million rupees were wasted away on renovation of railway rest houses. That speaks a lot about the performance of two so-called competent and honest ministers appointed by General Musharraf. Is he really proud of this performance, and does it mean end of corruption on higher levels?

Meanwhile, a serious reference against Javed Ashraf Qazi has been on files for two yeas, but no action has been taken so far, just because he happens to be a close friend of General Musharraf and former head of the ISI.

The Auditor General of Pakistan has found a total loss of 65 billion rupees in nine ministries, including Trading Corporation of Pakistan, National Tanker Company, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and PIA during the rule of General Musharraf. This huge amount was looted under of General Musharraf and nobody bothered to care. Is this the performance that Pervez Musharraf takes pride in, and calls it better than that of political rulers?

General Pervez Musharraf never tires of calling his system of local government the panacea of all ills. However, the Auditor General has pointed out corruption of Rs. 633.7 million in just one year in Punjab districts. An audit covering three-and-a-half years accounts of Punjab local governments would prove billion lost due to corruption, another matter of pride for General Musharraf.

Foreign loans of $9 billion
Boasting about economic achievements of his government, General Musharraf also repeatedly claims of having broken the begging bowl. However, Financial Ministry sources have revealed that the government acquired nine billion dollars in loans from foreign institutions during the first four-and-a-half years of its rule. Where is the broken begging bowl of which general Musharraf is so proud?

Postponement of Mega Projects and Losses
Nawaz Sharif government had initiated a large number of mega projects including Gwadar Port, Ghazi Barotha Project, Islamabad Air Port, Pindi Bhattian-Faislaabad Motorway, Apna Ghar Scheme, Indus Highway and Makran Coastal Highway. General Musharraf put all these projects on hold after usurping power causing rise in costs, and the national exchequer was burdened with 150 billion rupees, for which he alone is responsible. Is that a laudable performance?

Rs. 30 billion loans written off
During the first three years of his rule, General Musharraf wrote off loans worth Rs. 30 billion due from big borrowers. No democratic government in ten years could match that performance!

The value of non-performing loans rose by Rs. 52 billion during the first four years of Musharraf rule, while the loan default rose by 21 billion rupees.

Nawaz Sharif reduced annual expenses of the Prime Minister House to 160 million rupees down from 320million, but General Musharraf again ordered an increase to Rs. 850 million.

VIP Culture
Nawaz Sharif had abolished the VIP culture, but General Musharraf not only revived it but also expanded it.

Role of the NAB
General Pervez Musharraf had claimed that NAB was an effective instrument against corruption, and that it would wipe out corruption. However, he refused to abide by the Supreme Court ruling regarding NAB, and used it to force change of loyalties. Is that the reason why many people facing NAB cases were appointed minister after they changed their loyalties? Many others with fake degrees are included in ruling party legislators and ministers. Siddique-ul-Farooque has already provided NAB with irrefutable evidence against Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain. But NAB has stopped all proceedings on these references under directions from General Musharraf. Recently, NAB's Additional Director Major (retired0 M. A. Lodhi was caught with 400 million rupees that he had received as bribe. He has been caught because he allegedly did not share the money with others. In fact NAB is full of black sheep from top to bottom. Instead of eliminating corruption, it continues to be involved in corruption worth billions. I challenge that if former NAB chief Khalid Maqbool, former Prosecutor General Farooq Adam, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Owais Leghari and the existing NAB officials named by me are handed over to me with powers o0f the NAB chief, I will recover 20 billion rupees of loot from them within three months. If I fail, I am prepared to face hardest punishment under Pakistan Penal Code.

I have been brief due to constraints of time and paucity of space in the media. If Allah gives me opportunity, I will continue to expose the real performance of Musharraf government in future also. I end this presentation with a request to General Musharraf to look at the performance of his government in this mirror, and then decide whether his pride in it, and his slander against politicians is justified.

Part Two

Released by PML (N) Central Information Secretary Muhammed Siddique-ul-Farooque at a news conference in Islamabad on February 26, 2005

The misstatements that General Pervez Musharraf made during his chat with media persons on February 24 at the President House included his claim that there is no dearness in the country. That reminds one of the French Queen Marie Antoinette, who, when told about scarcity of bread for the poor, retorted, "then why don't they eat cake!" General Musharraf also acts like an eighteenth century monarch rather than a 21st century ruler. He is also as uninformed and indifferent to the problems of the people as Marie Antoinette. We are presenting a mirror that reflects the range of price hikes during his unconstitutional rule, and the misery that he has causing to the people.

This fact sheet gives a comparison between the prices prevalent in 1999 under Nawaz Sharif rule and those prevailing in the sixth year of General Musharraf's rule. It would amply demonstrate the facts as they exist, and we invite general Musharraf to have a look at the true image of his claims:-

ITEMS October 1999 February 2005 Percentage Rise

Flour Rs.8.00 per kg Rs.15.00 per kg 90%
Rs.17.00 " in NWFP
Bread Rs.1.50 Rs.3.00 100%
Sugar Rs.18.00 per kg Rs.28 per kg 50%
Tea Rs.180.00 per kg Rs.280.00 per kg 56%
Ghee Rs.54.00 per kg Rs.79.00 per kg 50%
Milk Rs.18 - 24 per liter Rs.24 - 33 per liter 33%
Milk Powder Rs.140.00 per kg Rs.190.00 per kg 36%
Mutton Rs.110.00 per kg Rs.220.00 per kg 100%
Beef Rs.60.00 per kg Rs.120.00 per kg 100%
Gas bill Rs.100.00 average Rs.240.00 average 140%
Elect. Bill Rs.100.00 average Rs.250.00 average 150%
Medicines Rs.100.00 average Rs.160.00 average 60%
Petrol Rs.24.04 per lit. Rs.42.46 per lit. 60%
Diesel Rs.9.65 per lit. Rs.27.23 per lit. 200%
Kerosene Rs.9.50 per lit. Rs.27.04 per lit. 200%
Urea Rs.280.00 per bag Rs.435.00 per bag 50%
DAP Rs.650.00 per bag Rs.1050.00 per bag 60%
Cement Rs.170.00 per bag Rs.250.00 per bag 50%
Iron Bars Rs.16000.00 per ton Rs.34000.00 per ton 110%
Bricks with
Cartage Rs.1300 per thousand Rs.3100 per thousand 135%

School and college fees, and prices of text books and stationary have also risen by 100 percent, while five major universities of the country have increased their fees by as much as 400 percent. Public transport fares have been increased by 40 to 100 percent. Prices of chilly, spices, cereals, rice, detergent, shoes and cloth have registered an average rise of 80 percent, while gradual devaluation of the rupee has cut down its purchasing power by 20 percent.

This brief study indicates that over all prices of essential commodities have risen by almost 80 percent, lower incomes and enhanced taxation is an additional burden on the citizens. In other words, the overall economic impact has risen twofold compared to 1999. A poor and middle class family of six members that used to meet its necessities with 6,000 rupees in 1999 now needs 13,000 rupees for the same. The ruling gang has contrived raise their expenses five-fold in the name perks, official visits and personal security. However, the impact of the so-called increase in salaries of government servants is practically not more than ten percent. The salaries of President, judges, army chief, governors and ministers have been increased by 110 to 140 percent in addition to unlimited other perks. The total expenditure of the Prime Minister House in 1999 was Rs. 160 million, but the present government has increased it by 87 percent.

General Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz cannot have any idea of the misery that rising prices are causing to the poor and middle class people, because the national exchequer bears all their expenses, and, in addition, they own properties worth billions and huge bank balances. They just don't belong to the common people. When a poor man fails to provide two square meals to his children, get proper medical treatment for them, is unable to pay their school/college fees, or get them new clothes for Eid, he feels fed up with life and thinks of committing suicide. But His Majesty says that if you can't pay gas bill then don't turn on the stove, if you can't pay power bill then don't light the lamp. The answer to hunger and employment is writ large on his face saying embrace death if you do not find bread.

This is the measure of General Musharraf's care for the poor and middle class Pakistanis who sacrificed their lives to create Pakistan, while the rulers wallow in luxuries. We ask General Musharraf whether this is the performance that he boasts about. If you really want to be proud, then provide same security of life and property to the people that you have arranged for yourself; raise their income at least twofold so that they may maintain their standard of life as they used to have during the rule of Nawaz Sharif.