Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has accused ex-prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif of having ties with the Taliban. "Sharif is a great threat to the stability of Pakistan as he is involved in acts of terror under the guise of a major power player in the country's politics," Dawn newspaper quoted Musharraf as saying in Seattle, Washington Monday night.
Musharraf also slammed the incumbent politicians over what he described as hypocrisy and political opportunism. He defended his tenure as a corruption-free administration, stressing that no cabinet member in his government was contaminated by corruption.
Pervez Musharraf came to power in Pakistan on October 12, 1999, after ousting Nawaz Sharif in a military coup.
He announced his resignation on August 18, 2008, amid impeachment threats. In a televised address to his nation, Musharraf said that he would prefer to resign rather than drag Pakistan through impeachment proceedings.
On August 7, 2008, the country's ruling coalition said that it would begin impeachment proceedings against Musharraf, who seized power in 1999.
Musharraf and the current Pakistani government have been heavily backed and influenced by Washington, which analysts cite as the main factor behind the growing instability in the country.