Musharraf hints at pact with Taliban, military takeover to protect Pak from crisis

LAHORE - Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said that the country might be forced to take matters into its own hands, which could include working with the Taliban, if it continues to feel alienated by the rest of the world.

Musharraf said that Pakistan was in a terrible state - with its economy in crisis, high unemployment, mass discontent - and having terrorists on its soil.

“Pakistan has to be protected. If you don’t help, if no one helps, or instead is helping the other side, the side which is trying to disturb and destabilize us, well, then Pakistan has to take its own measures,” the Daily Times quoted Musharraf, as saying.

When asked whether it would mean working with the Taliban, the former President replied: “We must know that the protection of Pakistan is everything to us.”

“If someone is disturbing this, I will go to any extent to protect my country, because that’s what I’m meant for. So, you can see the answer yourself,” he added.

Musharraf further said that “there is no bar” against him going back to Pakistan.

“But the conditions have to be right. What should Pakistan do? What should ISI do? What does the army chief do? They’ll make a strategy of protecting themselves,” Musharraf said. (ANI)