PML-N observes Black Day against Musharrafs take over

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that nation is still suffering due to Oct 12 steps when former President and retired four-star general Pervez Musharraf toppled his democratically elected government.In a statement issued here on Friday on the occasion of Black Day being observed by PML-N against the Oct 12, 1999 occurrence, Nawaz Sharif said that the situation changed after Muhsarraf took over the administrative charge of the country and more unconstitutional steps during his eight years rule weakened Pakistan’s economy and stability further.He said the world kept imposing its will on the enervated Pakistan, adding the path of unconstitutional adventures could have been stanched.He questioned had these violators of the constitution been tried? The actual change will come through vote, he added. The PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif said: October 12, 1999, gives a lesson that change is only possible through votes instead of usurping power.Had cases were initiated against dictators under the law and constitution, the door of any adventurism would have been closed forever, he said.According to him, Pakistan had to pay heavy price of dictatorship after October 12, 1999, coup, as not only state was weakened but decisions of others were also imposed posing manifold challenges for the country as well as countrymen.Protests rallies and demonstrations were held across the country under the banner of PML-N against the 12th October take over.It is worth noting here that 13 years back on Oct 12, 1999, then Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Pervez Musharraf, in a bloodless coup d’état, overthrew elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.On that day Nawaz Sharif replaced Musharraf with Inter-Services Intelligence Director-General Lieutenant-General Ziauddin Butt as Chief of Army Staff while Musharraf was en route from Sri Lanka to Karachi.